With Me
by Lilthinker15
Summary: He was a slytherin prince, she was a ravenclaw princess. DM/OC. Warning: Later chapters may contain sexual themes
1. Intro

Intro: (this is in third person, the rest will be in first person)

She was short with long, thick, black hair and hazel eyes that were more green and gold than brown. She had curves, but they were pleasantly offset by a narrow waist and graceful arms. She had great legs. Her facial features just screamed "defiance," she had a small nose with a bump in it, her eyebrows were high and arching, her eyes took up most of her face, and her small, full lips were always curved into this tiny half smile. She was incredibly smart and very talented with a wand. And she was a mudblood Ravenclaw, and damn proud of it. Her name was River Olivia Trife, she was the epitome of her house, the Ravenclaw princess.

And he, he was a pureblood Slytherin, through and through. He was average height, thin (you would never guess how toned he was if you had only seen him in his robes) and pale. His hair was shaggy and light blonde, his eyes a cold, silvery gray and his facial features were alarmingly, yet unusually, attractive. He had perfected the art of the sneer. His family was well known for centuries of hating mud bloods and being at the top of their classes. He was no exception. His name was Draco Lucius Malfoy, he was the epitome of his house, an absolute snake, the Slytherin prince.

The two of them despised each other. There were two people in the world he hated more than he hated her, and they were Potter and Granger. She hated no one like she hated him. This could have something to do with the easy way she fell into the Golden trio, or it could have something to do with the way he always called her an "insufferable, know it all, mud blood." She thought that because of this, she was perfectly justified in calling him a "cocky, son of a bitch, pureblood." The Golden trio, the Patil twins, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, Lavender Brown, Ernie Macmillion, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, Fred Weasley and George Weasley all agreed with her on this front. They were her crowd, However, her best girl mate, Ginny Weasley, thought it was a bit tiring to hear the same insult over and over again, and her best boy mate, Terry Boot, thought it was a waste of her time to be preoccupied with Malfoy. But, she considered it her duty to fight with him like the Golden Trio wouldn't.

She had a complicated relationship with the Trio. Harry, she knew, liked her a lot, partially because she was such close friends with Harry's girlfriend, Ginny. Hermione liked her, but also deeply resented her on account of River being number one in the class and Hermoine being number two. Ron like her a lot as well, but felt obligated to resent her a little on Hermoine's behalf. They were entering their sixth year, and Ginny was entering her fifth year and today was the first day of school.


	2. Ch 1 Keep Me Around

Keep Me Around

As per usual, my parents refused to accompany me to the train station. Magic terrified them, but they were also irrationally jealous of anybody who was gifted in magic. They did love me, but when I got my Hogwarts letter, it came between us. It didn't really matter much to me, they sent me letters all year and acted fairly normal during the holidays, so long as they never, ever caught sight of my wand (9 inches, willow wood with a unicorn hair core), cauldron, or broomstick. It was only the first day of school that it made any real difference. And, that meant that I spent the entire last two weeks of the summer holidays with the Weasleys, my favorite family of all time.

"Hurry, hurry, kids, the train leaves in five minutes!" Mrs. Weasley announced, ushering us forward. Fred and George went through first, they had quit school, but were coming to see us off. Ginny followed with her mother and father. Next, Ron, Harry and Hermione ran through the wall to platform nine and three quarters, leaving me to be the last one. Right as I slept through the barrier, I heard trolley wheels begin to squeal behind me and I knew that another student was coming through the barrier quickly after me. As soon as I was deposited on the platform, I got out of the way. The person still managed to run into me, and when I turned around, I wasn't surprised.

"Why, if it isn't my least favorite, insufferable, know it all, mudblood,"

"You cocky, son of a bitch pureblood, that hurt,"

"Whatever, Trife, you're going to miss the train… actually, I'd prefer that," And Draco Malfoy strode quickly down the platform with his trolley, his blonde parents following him at a swift pace. I had to give Draco this much, Lucius and Narcissa were absolute nightmares and it couldn't be pleasant to be their kid. I still hated him.

I rushed after Draco, scanning the crowd quickly for my friends.

"Riv! River Olivia!" Mrs. Weasley shouted, waving at me. I sighed in relief and turned my trolley to follow them.

"Now remember, children, don't cross Filch, stay out of the Forbidden forest, don't provoke Draco, don't look for trouble, don't bother Peeves and don't forget to visit Hagrid," Mrs. Weasley said as she hugged the children in turn, kissing her own red headed kids on the lips, and her "adopted" children on the cheek as we walked to the train. She stopped.

"Goodbye, Children, I'll see you all on the holidays." She waved as she retreated. The twins took this opportunity to give the students their own form of advice.

"Now remember children, don't get caught by Filch, make sure you go into the Forbidden Forest when you visit Hagrid, torture the Malfoy stinker as much as you can get away with, always look for trouble and get on Peeves's good side." Fred and George said in unison. They passed each of us a bag bulging with Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products and winked once before turning on the spot and disapparating. Ron scowled at the spot where they had disappeared. He hated when they showed off that they could apparate and he couldn't.

"All aboard the Hogwarts Express!" The conductor yelled.

The five of us managed to get a cart with Dean, Seamus, Luna and Terry. Harry put his and Ginny's bags into the overhead, Ron took care of his and Hermione's, leaving me feeling like the awkward fifth wheel until Terry jumped up from his seat and put my bag into the overhead. Really, he was quite sweet, and I was quite lucky to have him as one of my closest friends, but he'd fancied me since third year and it was getting rather old. Especially as I didn't fancy him back. In my six years at Hogwarts, I'd never had a boyfriend and I'd fancied very few boys. Sure, I'd snogged often, and I'd made out with boys, too, but I didn't actually want to be with them. I was sort of a tease, as Ron, Harry, Dean and Seamus liked to remind me of all the time. I'd snogged all of them (something Ginny had gotten over as it was before her and Harry got together, but something Hermione would never forgive me for) but I'd never let it go farther than that. I could be a tease and a bitch, but I loved my friends and I was smart and strong and loyal, and that's why they kept me around.

As per usual, Harry insisted on buying out the trolley for us.

"I knew there was a reason we kept you around, Potter," I said as I ripped into a licorice wand.

"Couldn't be all this crap about him being the chosen one?" Dean grinned crookedly at Harry.

"Nah, you guys keep me around for my charm and wit,"

"Shove off, Potter," Seamus laughed, gently pushing Harry.

"I'm afraid telling Potter to shove off is my job, Finnigan," said a familiar drawling voice from the entrance to our carriage. And there stood Draco Malfoy, in all his glory. He was flanked by Crabbe and Goyle on his right and Pansy Parkinson and Blaise on his left. I glared at him with a deep, unreasonable hatred as all of our hands slipped into our pockets to grab our wands. Malfoy was quickest and got his out first, firing off a hex at me. Hermione, ever the smart one, cast a quick shield over me. She took it down so I could fire off hexes. I aimed a marvelous stinging hex at Malfoy as the rest of them fired off hexes. With a casual flick of his wand, Malfoy put up an excellent shield over him and his friends, but not before his friends fired back. Hermione shielded us, her wandwork not quite as casual as Malfoy's.

"Poor ickle kids, looks like your new prefect is going to have to report you for fighting." He shook his blonde head.

"Ron, River and I are prefects, too, Malfoy, and we will report you. Wouldn't want to start of the year with a detention would you?" Hermione shot back, still maintaining her shield. Malfoy refused to lower his either.

"Blaise, Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, out," He ordered smoothly. His friends left the compartment, a display of his power amongst his friends.

"I've got bigger things to worry about than you," He sneered at us. "Trife, can I speak to you for a moment?"

"Tell me here, Malfoy," I sneered right back. He sighed and grabbed my wrist. I lifted my wand to his neck.

"Let. Me. Go." I said to him, jabbing the thin stick of wood farther into his skin. He narrowed his silver eyes at me and then spoke again.

"Fine, but don't say I didn't try to warn you," He let go of my wrist, then merely looked down at me for a few full seconds. My heart skipped a beat. The ass had pretty eyes. He sneered.

"See something you like, Trife," He said so quietly that nobody could hear him but me.

"You wish, Malfoy," I hissed back, putting my hands on his chest and shoving him away.

"You're gonna wish you'd let me warn you, mudblood. It's a new age," Malfoy laughed as I tuck my hands off his chest. His comment perked my interest and frightened me. I turned to look at my friends once, then looked back at Malfoy's confident sneer.

"Fine, what?" I said, shutting the compartment door.

"Your mum and dad betrayed you. The Dark Lord now knows that they have a witch daughter and he knows that the prophecy that was made a few months ago is about you." He leaned casually against the wall, crossing his arms, that same confident smirk still twisting his features.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"There's a certain person who must kill you, or I'm going to be in a hell of a lot of trouble with the Dark Lord. ." He shrugged, my life was so disposable for him.

"Sure you don't want to keep me around?" I asked.

"You wish, Trife. Have you heard the prophecy in full?"  
"No."

"_A well hidden muggle born princess, who was told to be dead, will tangle herself in the dark prince, bringing her light into darkness. She will refuse to be snuffed, and, instead, dismantle darkness, snuffing lightest of light as she goes. Princess and Prince, locked in final battle, neither living without the other"_

"What does that even mean?" I asked, frustrated, I'd never been good at divination.

"Thought you were supposed to be smart. It means that you're going to get tangled up in our business, and instead of going evil, you're going to get rid of the dark side. It also says that you're going to snuff out the lightest of the light. Many seem to think this means Harry Potter. You're going to get locked in a final battle with some "dark prince" that you're in love with, and neither of you will be able to live without the other. You'll be facing attacks from both sides, one sided protecting Harry Potter, one side protecting their own future. Watch out for yourself." He turned on his heel.

"So, you've given up pretending to be good? You're admitting to being a death eater?" I called after him. He stiffened.

"Well, it's known by now that my father certainly was. It's perfectly reasonable that I should know this information from him." And Draco Malfoy walked away. I looked after him for one short moment. No matter what he said, it seemed to me that he was concerned about my welfare and not just making sure the right person killed me.

Draco POV

Yeah, I wanted to keep her around. No, it wasn't just to make sure the right person killed her. Frankly, the first part of the prophecy interested me. I already knew that they got the name "muggle born princess" because her parents were called the king and queen of entertainment in the muggle world (her mother sang, her father was an actor) and she was often called the Ravenclaw princess. And her being thought dead came from her parents, they'd been so horrified at her magic that they'd told everybody she died in a car accident, except for her closest friends. But this dark prince business? Well, frankly, I was intrigued. What "dark prince" would lower himself to be with a mudblood? A few people had carried the title of "dark prince," not least of them, Severus Snape… but the most recent one to carry that title was… me.

That's right, me, Draco Malfoy, raised mudblood and muggle hater. Me ending up with her was a joke.

But…. She was pretty. Really pretty. Even I, who hated her madly, had to admit that the girl was, well, frankly, beautiful.

River POV

I shut the door behind me and walked into the compartment. I looked, stone faced at Harry.

"What did Malfoy want, River?" He asked, casually.

"Nothing, he just thought he'd throw in a few well aimed insults my way." I lied easily.

"What was this about a warning?" Ginny asked. I knew I couldn't tell her, the idea of me being what killed her beloved Harry would horrify her.

"He said some crap about muggle borns being eliminated this year. You know how he is," I said, too casually. Terry gave me a weird look.

"Hope you hexed him," Ron said venomously.

"Hope you didn't. It's not worth getting a detention before school even starts," Hermione said, exasperated. She was already flipping through her Advanced Potions textbook, true to Granger form.

"Hey, don't worry about anything Malfoy said. We want to keep you around," Dean said, obviously sensing I was upset. I smiled thankfully at him.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Hermione shut her book and sighed.

"We better changed into our school robes now, guys," A smile split mine and Harry's faces as we look up and spotted the castle, our home. This was what tied the two of us together so deeply. Neither of us knew what it was to feel at home until we stepped into the Hogwarts castle. We turned to each other, and saw our matching smiles.

"Welcome home, River," He said affectionately, throwing an arm casually around my shoulders.

"Welcome home, Harry," I threw my arm over his shoulder, pressing my face against the window to get a better view of my favorite place in the world


	3. Ch 2 Room of Requirement

After a long night of sorting, I was looking forward to taking a long bath in the prefect's bathroom. I grabbed a towel from my trunk and entered the bathroom. As soon as I came in I could smell the scented steam of the bath bubbles on the air. That was strange, usually I was the only one who bathed on the first night. I had already stripped out of my ropes, my gray skirt and my sweater vest, and my white button up was unbuttoned enough to show the top of my magenta bra. On bottom, the only thing hiding my bare buttocks was thin black spandex, my magenta thong strap was peaking out of the top of them. I nervously pulled my robes loosely around my short figure as I walked closer to the bath, kicking the small pile of clothes out of my way as I went.

"Who's there?" I called timidly, as a splashing noise in the tub caught my ear.

"Hold on, Damnit," A familiar drawling voice called.

"No, no, I'll come back later," I turned to leave.

"Don't be ridiculous… Trife? What the fuck?" Draco said behind me. I turned slowly to see him with a towel wrapped around his waist, and no other clothing on. … Merlin… he was gorgeous. I never would have imagined that much muscle tone was under his loose clothing. And his white blonde hair was damp at the nape of his neck, and hanging in to his face charmingly. My eyes travelled up from his beautiful body to his face, to see a cocky smile on his lips, and his eyes trailing my body. I realized then that my robes had come unwrapped and quickly closed them.

" See something you like, you cocky, son of a bitch pureblood?" I narrowed my eyes.

"I know you did, you insufferable, know it all mudblood," He spat back. I looked pointedly down at the bulge that was barely hidden by his towel.

"Yeah, I know you did, too,"

"Fuck off, Trife,"

"Go jerk off, Malfoy, get rid of your hard on" He stared at me for a long moment. I stared defiantly back.

"I don't think I will, I was quite enjoying my bath," He turned around and let the towel fall from his hips, exposing his toned ass.

"Damnit," I turned to stomp away.

"Why don't you join me?" He drawled, his voice lower and more seductive than usual.

"Not in your wildest day dreams,"

"Fine, I'm getting out. Take your start of term bath." I heard a quiet splashing behind me, then Draco walked out, smelling like the bubble bath. He was wearing only his light wash jeans when he passed, and I couldn't help being impressed by his back muscles.

I swore vividly under my breath, then drained the bath and started running my own water.

"It's fucking Draco, River. He's always been gorgeous and always been an asshole," I reminded myself. Even armed with this knowledge though, I couldn't help but dwell on the curve of his biceps and the way his abdomen was carved.

Draco's POV

The truth was, I knew she always took a beginning of term bath. I wanted to know what would happen if we ran into each other in the bathroom. My preoccupation with her was bordering on obsession. I wasn't really sure what had come over me. But with the upheaval in my family, I was craving something that would be solid, and having sex with Pansy Parkinson every so often just wasn't enough. Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise only reminded me of my many mistakes and my father's many mistakes.

I was confused. I felt like I was being pulled in both directions, dark and light. I need to be dark to save my family's lives, and to save my life, but I wanted to be light because I knew that what The Dark Lord was doing was wrong. I knew it just as surely as I knew that Snape was on Dumbledore's side. I'd never told the Dark Lord that. I'd never told anyone that. Was that some sort of sign? I was so damn confused. And now, there was this little Ravenclaw princess showing up everywhere I was, constantly causing reactions in me that I wasn't quite used to. Every time I saw her, I pictured her in the bathroom that first night of term. She was questioning everything. She always had, of course, her and Granger. They were both mudbloods, and both top of our class. It was infuriating, and my father always tormented me for being behind two mudbloods. Not that he'd ever been top of his class, Potter's father, Snape and Potter's mother had been the top three then, one half blood, one pure blood and a mudblood. Maybe mudbloods were equal to pure bloods.

Damn it, I needed a smoke if I was going to be thinking this way. I reached into my pocket for my silver lighter and my pack of cigarettes. I stuck one between my lips and lit it, leaning against the wall casually. I knew that smoking in the corridor wasn't the best idea I'd ever had, but I needed a break. I heard footsteps at the end of the hall and moved to put out the cigarette, then I recognized the sound of bare feet and realized that it couldn't be a teacher, and I'd be able to scare a student into not telling. Much to my serious annoyance, River Trife turned into my corridor. Her feet were bare, and her hair was thrown up in a sloppy ponytail. She didn't even glance at me, she had eyes only for the room of requirement, which was directly across the hall from me. She walked past it three times, then walked in. I slipped in after her, not being able to resist the urge to see what she required. I was surprised at the room. It was large, with different kinds of shoes lined up against the wall. There was a muggle stereo in the corner (a device like this shouldn't be able to work in the castle, but it seemed the room of requirement had outdone itself again) the walls were covered in mirrors, and there was a wooden bar. I had no idea what it was for until she removed her robes to reveal shorts and a tank top and began stretching out. She was a dancer. The sensual way her body folded, tightened and strained as she contorted herself in weird stretches was doing crazy things to my body, especially as I saw her, in my mind's eye, with her white button up un done wearing only spandex shorts.

She walked over to the radio and turned it on, a soft, powerful song started playing and she began to move in ways that I didn't know human bodies could move. It was amazingly enchanting, and alarmingly arousing.

"_I don't want this moment to ever end, where everything's nothing, without you"_

Her nose twitched once, obviously catching the scent of smoke from my cigarette. I threw it to the ground quickly and put it out, but not soon enough. She looked into the mirror and saw my dumbstruck expression. Her eyes widened, alarmed.

She didn't say a word.

I didn't say a word.

We stared at each other.

Then, silently, I moved towards her. The music was still playing.

_Through it all, I made my mistakes, I stumbled and fell, but I mean these words._

I placed one hand around her waist. She put her hand on my shoulder, and held my other hand. Without exchanging a word, we understood. We started to dance.

_Thoughts read unspoken, forever in doubt._

We looked silently into each other's eyes, doubting everything, and, without any sort of affirmation from her, I leaned down (she was so short) and pressed my mouth to hers silently.

_As pieces of memories fall to the ground_

_ I know what I didn't have, so I won't let this go_

_ 'Cause it's true, I am nothing without you_

I broke the kiss and ran out of the room, alarmed. When I turned back, she was standing there, motionless. The music continued to play.

_All the streets where I walked alone, with nowhere to go_

_ I come to an end._

The door closed behind me.

"Shit. Shit, Draco, shit. You shouldn't have done that. You shouldn't have fucking done that."

"No, you shouldn't have. No one needs to know. I don't want this getting out any more than you do, Dra-Malfoy,"

"Fine. No one hears of it. And it never happens again,"

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that." And she flounced away. I entered the room of requirement, and set to work on the vanishing cabinet in order to erase the memory of that kiss from my mind. I would set all my attention to finishing Dumbledore, so that the Dark Lord would leave my family alone. After that whole mess was over, my mind would be clearer and I wouldn't have any desire to kiss her ever again.


	4. Ch 3 Sectumsempra

Every single time I walked into that damn room of requirements to practice, I thought of him and that kiss. Draco Malfoy wasn't meant to be mine. I hated him. And the more he screwed with my mind, the more I hated him. Months had passed, but my lips still tingled when he walked by. I was worried about it, but I also had bigger things on my mind.

There was Harry's odd preoccupation with The Half Blood Prince's potions book. It was really worrying me. The Prince was, of course, talented at potions, and helping Harry out a lot, but he had one sick sense of humor, and I was sure that the Death Eaters using his precious Levicorpus spell wasn't a coincidence. I was just as sure that the rest of the spells in that book weren't nearly so friendly.

Then, there was Katie Bell getting cursed. Harry, of course, thought it was Draco. I wanted to defend him, but I didn't know why. Then, I'd get mad at myself for wanting to defend Malfoy and I'd take it out on whoever was around. Hermione appreciated it, she thought I was trying to be logical. The truth was, I didn't want it to be Draco. I wanted to give him a chance.

Last, there was Ron being poisoned. I figured the poison had been meant for Dumbledore. Nobody else had come to any sort of definite decision, but I couldn't see who at the school anybody else would want dead, other than Harry. There was a very grim possibility that the poison had been intended for him, but the chances of Harry drinking it were so very slim I didn't know who would make that gamble.

I was also dimly concerned about school. I was taking N.E.W.T. level Charms, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Arithmacy, Astronomy, and Ancient Runes, as well as playing seeker on the Ravenclaw quidditch team and taking my usual extra classes with Flitwick and Snape. From first year, Flitwick been so impressed with my ability to cast flawless charms that he'd wanted me to take an additional course with him in which he would teach me very advanced magic. Snape had been likewise impressed with my instinctive talent at potion making. I'd already figured out a lot of the tips scrawled in the Prince's book before Harry had found it. Even though Snape didn't teach potions anymore, he simply refused to give me to Slughorn for these extra lessons. There were two other students who joined me in Potions, Malfoy and Terry. We all consistently produced perfect potions. I was the only one who would take shortcuts and defer from the directions on nearly every step. Malfoy would see about half the shortcuts I would, and Terry wouldn't see any, but his potions would still be completely flawless. With Flitwick, I was joined only by Ginny Weasley. Hermione was bitter that I took these extra lessons, but, to be fair, she took extra lessons in Arithmacy. I never told her, but I'd been offered a chance at those extra lessons. I'd rejected because I wanted her to have something over me. In addition to all of this, I had prefect duties. I was slowly going insane from lack of sleep.

Plus, I was going through a lot. My parents hadn't written me once all year. Ginny didn't have time for me because she was spending so much time with Dean. Ron and Hermione weren't speaking. Harry didn't have time for me, because he was spending so much of his time trying to smooth them over. My quidditch performance was suffering, and my team was suffering in response. And, to top it all off, Terry had recently declared his undying love for me. Again. And I'd rejected him. Again. So now he wasn't speaking to me. Again.

I'd begun randomly bursting into tears while doing homework or playing quidditch, or hanging out, even walking to class. That's how I ended up in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom that day. I'd burst into tears in the hallway and quickly ducked in there so that nobody would see me crying. That's when I realized that there was somebody in there crying already. I moved to duck out, but I then realized it was a boy. Not just any boy, Draco Malfoy.

"M-Malfoy?" I stuttered. He turned swiftly.

"Damnit, Trife, you scared the shit out of me," the Slytherin wiped his gray eyes quickly, but his shoulders were still shaking with the effort of his tears. I'd stopped crying.

"What wrong?" I asked cautiously.

"Nothing. Leave me alone."

"Liar. No." He let out one lonely sob and I ran at him and embraced him. He held me limply and cried.

"It's… I'm supposed to kill someone, River. And if I fail, then the Dark Lord is going to destroy my family and me. And I'm turning out just like my fucking father."

"No, you're not," He looked at me angrily and pulled up the sleeve of his robes.

"I am, look! Look at me! I'm marked. I took the fucking dark mark like the childish idiot I am. I wanted it! I wanted the power! I'm just like my father."

"You're nothing like your father,"

"How could you possibly know that? You don't know me."

"Because, Draco, the very reason you're going to kill this person is because of the one thing that sets you apart from your father, and Voldemort." He pulled away from me.

"Explain. Please." He demanded.

"Love. You're going to do it to save your family because you love them."

"Love! Dumbledore's favorite ace in the whole! Fucking love! I don't know what that is! Love for me is a quick blowjob in the dorm room! It's my parents hiring a maid so that they don't have to take care of me!"

"Nobody's ever shown you love. But you still feel it. You love your parents. You have an immense power to love. You know how I know that?"

"How?" The Slytherin prince raised his bloodshot silver eyes.

"The prophecy."

"What do you mean?"

"You're the dark prince," the idea had just occurred to me. "Aren't you? I mean, they call you that, the Death Eaters?"

"Yes. I'm the Harry Potter of the dark side."

"And I'm the well hidden muggle born princess."

"Yes,"

"Somehow, you and I are going to fall in love, Draco. I would have thought it completely impossible any year but this year. We're going to fall so deeply in love that neither of us will be able to live without the other. Do you know what that is?"

"No."

"Elemental magic. What the muggles call "soul mates." That's why every time I pass you, my lips tingle from that kiss. That's why, from the first time I saw you, I felt some sort of magnetic pull towards you. My mind hates you. My body hates you. My heart hates you. My soul needs you. And it's the same for you. Don't lie to me."

"It is. I couldn't lie to you,"

"Only one in a million people finds their true soul mate. It's only the people with the greatest power to love, and the greatest wealth of magic. It's a rare combination."

"Why is this so easy to believe? It's so far-fetched."

"Because it's true, perhaps the truest thing I've ever known."

"This is ridiculous, Trife. We can't be together. You're a mudblood and I'm a Malfoy. You're a Ravenclaw and I'm a Slytherin, you're friends with Harry Potter and I'm a Death Eater,"

"You think I want to think about you all the time, you cocky, son of a bitch, pureblood? I hate you. I really do. You're stuck up and you're rude to me and you're going to kill someone. We're not for each other. We just aren't. And it's not going to be easy. We're going to drive each other insane. But it's going to work out, no matter what. It'll have to.

"Damnit, you fucking insufferable, know it all mudblood! How can you say this so matter of factly? Don't you understand what a risk this puts me in with the Dark Lord? Don't you realize?"

"Yes. Yes I do. But it's not my fault. It never was. It never will be. In fact, if you'd never kissed me, it might have never happened. You don't get to blame it on me."

"And you don't get to blame it on me."

"Fair."

And he was looking at me like he hated me. And I was hurting and burning with shame and anger. And then he was kissing me like I'd never been kissed before. Like he needed to kiss me. Not just anybody, me. Like he needed to touch me. Like he needed me. But more than that, like he wanted me. And I'm not talking like he wanted to screw me, or like he wanted a blowjob or something. But like he wanted me to be right there. And I was kissing him back, and I was hoping that my kiss was telling him all the same things his kiss was telling me. And we were both bare and vulnerable. And we were both crying. And then the sound of the door knob turning broke us apart. He quickly shoved me into a stall and turned around to face the sink. He wiped the tears from his eyes, but his shoulders continued to shake. The door opened and somebody entered. I recognized the footsteps. There weren't an awful lot of people I knew that well. But he was one of them. The last person Draco Malfoy would want to see him crying. The last person I would want to see me kissing Draco Malfoy.

Harry Potter.

And Draco was vulnerable. And he didn't know it was Harry yet. And I wanted to warn him. Draco, not Harry. I wanted to protect Draco. I'd long since known that Harry could take care of himself. But Draco? I wasn't so sure he could. He wasn't strong like Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione. He wasn't strong like I was. He was weak because he'd been manipulated his whole life. He was weak because he'd never been allowed to make his own decisions. He was weak because his morals were not his own. He was weak. And Harry was strong. And I was scared. But I couldn't say a word. No doubt Draco thought that the person was someone he could scare into not telling, but it was Harry. A Gryffindor through and through. He was brave like no other. And Draco was a coward. He was a coward because his father had scared him his whole life.

And then Moaning Myrtle was talking to Draco, and Draco was responding and he still didn't know it was Harry. And Draco looked up, and he saw Harry. And he shot off a hex. Then they were fighting. And Draco was blocking Harry's curses, and Harry was blocking Draco's.

Then, Draco's face screwed up and he spoke

"Cruc-" No, not Cruciatus, not on Harry.

"SECTUMSEMPRA!" Harry yelled. And I knew it was a prince curse, and I knew that the wild waving of Harry's wand wasn't right. And suddenly, my Latin background kicked in and I knew what the curse would do before it happened. And I wanted to yell out as Draco's face and chest began to bleed, but I couldn't. I was too horrified. And I was scared for Draco, and angry at Harry, but I also knew that Harry would never have shot of that curse if he had known what it would do to Draco. Because I knew Harry, and he was such a good guy.

Then Snape was there, Snape, who I hated, Snape, who was a death eater, Snape, who was a traitor, Snape, who was healing Draco, that blessed, blessed man. And Snape was saying something about the hospital wing and scarring. I knew that even with scarring, Draco would be the most beautiful man in the world to me. And, suddenly, Snape was taking Draco away and I wanted to call out to him to leave Draco near me, I wanted to tell him that I would make him better, that I was enough. That even if I hated Draco, his soul needed me. That even if his body needed Madame Pomfrey's immediate care, his soul needed my immediate care. But I couldn't say that.

And I was silently charming Harry so that he wouldn't be able to see or hear, and I was running out of the bathroom just as Snape was walking in. I released the charms I'd put on Harry, and I looked into Snape's face.

"I trust that you had no involvement in this incident, Miss Trife, please, go visit Draco in the hospital wing, he was practically begging for your presence the whole way up. Not to worry, no one else will hear of it from me." and he strode into the bathroom, and I knew that Harry was in for a world of hurt, but I didn't care. I didn't care. I wanted Draco. I wanted to see him. I wanted to know he was okay. No, I needed Draco; I needed to see him; I needed to know he was okay.


	5. Ch 4 Coming to my Senses

A/N

So, I know a lot of this happened really fast and kind of awkwardly. It's just that this is the stuff I have to get out of the way before the actual plot to the story begins. I'm awful at writing chapters where nothing happens, so I just make everything happen really quickly. The next couple chapters will probably be like that, too, but the plot isn't really about them falling in love. It's about the repercussions.

And, I know River seems like she's really perfect. I tend to do that, make perfect characters. She'll have her imperfections later, now that it's been pointed out to me. And, she obviously does have her problems (I mean, her parents are terrified of her and never write to her), but this story is so much more about Draco's problems than hers. Now I'm just rambling.

Only one person pointed this out, but Draco smokes simply because I've seen pictures of Tom Felton (who plays Draco in the movies) smoking and it made me think that it fits his character. Just see it as a bad habit he picked up at school. It's not going to play any sort of key role, and probably will only be mentioned again in passing.

The reason Draco's so OOC is that this is what I like to think is going on inside him for all of the sixth and seventh books. He has a desperate need to fit in with Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise and the rest, so he keeps up the death eater thing, but he's also severely confused, damaged and misunderstood. I'm a little bit obsessed with Draco, so I wanted him to be viewed in a good light.

The prophecy sucked because I have no idea how to write like the prophecies are in the books. He told her for a reason (briefly explained that it's because the right person has to kill her, or he's going to be in a lot of trouble with Voldemort.)

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing except River and the plot.

Ch. 4 Coming to My Sense

This sudden shift of emotions quickly terrified and confused me. On my way to the hospital wing, I collapsed against the wall in peals of hysterical laughter. I wasn't in love with Draco Malfoy. There wasn't any bizarre elemental magic going on. That's insane. He was simply manipulating me because of the lame ass prophecy. I thought of the time between the kiss in the Room of Requirements and the kiss in the bathroom. We'd seen each other in lessons, of course. We'd even spoken once or twice. He'd been much more civil to me, but still far from kind. And I'd been just as rude back.

And then all the things he'd said in the bathroom sunk in. I didn't know how I'd missed it before. He was going to kill someone? What the bloody hell? That was inexcusable! I don't care if he was doing it on the Dark Lord's orders, you don't kill! You never kill! It's unforgiveable. Even if his reasons were semi honorable, even if he was semi helpless, he shouldn't kill someone. And it was just my little savior complex that made me comfort him. He was a human. He was hurting. I would comfort. There was nobody that I could have seen crying that I wouldn't comfort. I'd certainly regret it later, but I was desperate to be the savior. It wasn't due to my kindness. It was due to my issues. Nobody saved me, so I saved everybody.

My feet were carrying me towards the hospital wing again. But this time it was with a new purpose. I was going to yell at Draco Malfoy. I was going to tell him that he wasn't good enough for me, and he was going to tell me that I wasn't good enough for him. And we would never speak of it again. And, one day, when he was a different person, the kind of person I could respect, then we'd end up together, maybe. I'd messed with the time frame by figuring out what the prophecy meant, because school boy Draco Malfoy, the arrogant, cruel, death eater, bully wasn't for me. And I had more important things on my mind than him.

I nearly threw open the door of the hospital wing, before realizing that Madame Pomfrey would not appreciate that. I opened the door much more gently, but I stomped to Malfoy's bed.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy!" I shrilly announced

"River Olivia Trife" He cocked one eyebrow at me and gave a sort of half smile.

"You are an utter and complete idiot and I hate you. You're going to fucking kill someone, Malfoy? Kill? Killing is unforgivable. You're an ass."

"And here I thought we had a moment." He drawled, sneering at me.

"A FUCKING MOMENT MALFOY? YOU AND ME? HA!"

"You kissed me back."

"One day, Malfoy, we'll be for each other, but I'm better than you."

"You're better than me? I'm better than you, filthy mudblood!"

"This is exactly why I'm better than you, Draco! You don't know how to treat people! You're proud of being a death eater, you're proud of the assignment Voldemort gave you, you're proud of being a wretched person. I know you are, don't you dare lie to me."

"I couldn't lie to you. I am proud! I've finally done something right for my family. I'm going to redeem them. I'm going to make my father proud. I've been waiting to make him proud my whole life, Trife. I'm not going to give that up because of your stupid morals!"

""Don't you dare try to play the victim here, Malfoy, because I will not fall for it"

"Play the victim? I'm trying to tell you the truth, Trife. I want you to know the truth"

"So tell me the fucking truth, Draco"

"I find you unbearably attractive. I know I'm not good enough for you. I'm trying to sort out my life. I'm trying to figure out my own morals. I'm trying to figure out what I want. But I have to do what I have to do first, River. I have to save my mother and father. Now tell me the fucking truth, River. What do you think of all that?"

"You're right. We're not good enough for each other. I will not stand by and allow you to kill someone, though. Especially because I know the kind of wizard Voldemort would ask you to kill. And that's not okay, not even to save your father and mother."

"What would you do, River? What would you do? The most powerful dark wizard of all time comes to you and says "kill Albus Dumbledore, or Mad Eye Moody, or Nymphadora Tonks, or any other great bloody wizard you know, or I will kill your parents." What the fuck would you do? If you've got an alternate answer, please tell me. Because I'm not ready to be an orphan, River. I'm just not."

"There is no alternate answer. Here are your options: two deatheaters die, or you kill a great wizard, a great person"

"THEY'RE NOT JUST TWO DEATH EATERS TO ME, RIVER, THEY'RE MY PARENTS! And, I know that they're not great people, or great parents, but I love them. And you understand that, you have to, your parents pretend you're dead because they're so fucking terrified and ashamed and jealous of their witch daughter. They lie to the whole world, but you don't hate them."

"They'd never serve someone like Voldemort."

"How do you know, River? How do you know? My parents grew up with these ideas being shoved down their throats, just like I am. And, in their day, there was no Harry Potter telling them that they were wrong. And then, the Dark Lord came along and was a leader of their ideals. As far as they saw it, he was right, just like their parents were right, and their grandparents, and generations of Malfoys before them. Have they questioned their actions? I'm sure. Have they questioned the ideals? No. Do I still love them anyway? Of course! Would I still do anything to save them? Of course! Their childhoods were just like mine is, River. I'm lucky I can still think for myself, and it took me sixteen years to even start to question my parent's morals. Who knows what kind of people my parents would have been without their parents? Who knows what kind of person I'd be without mine? Maybe I'd be Harry Potter, the precious "chosen one" or maybe I wouldn't. Maybe I'd be the same exact person. But, River, I'm not going to forfeit their lives."

"You are weak, Draco. You have no sense of honor. There are people who'd sacrifice their own lives in an instant to get rid of Voldemort."

"Would you?"

"Yes."

"Me too."

"Bull"

"But I'd never, ever sacrifice my parents' lives. Theirs are not mine to sacrifice. Would you force your parents to die in the name of honor? What about Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Terry, Ron? Would you force any of them to die in the name of honor? Would you even force me, Snape, Crabbe or Goyle to die in the name of honor?"

"No. But I would let them."

"My parents aren't ready to die. I wouldn't be letting them. I'd be forcing them. I'm not going to live with that my whole life. I'm just not. Am I making any sense at all?"

"Yes." I admitted, begrudgingly.

"So we understand each other."

"Yes. But this doesn't mean we're going to be together Draco. I can't be with you."

"Something you said is right."

"What?"

"I'm weak. I need someone strong. I need someone solid. I need an actual friend who will actually try to help me with my problems."

"I'll be your friend, Draco. I don't think it could be any other way after this conversation. Not after everything you've told me, I couldn't go back."

"Your friends aren't going to be happy about it."

"No, they aren't. Hell, I don't think I'm happy about it!" I threw my hands up, exasperated.

"You should go now. Madame Pomfrey should be back soon to check on me." He turned away from me.

"Do you need anything?"

"No." He said and I started to walk away. "Actually… could you bring me parchment and a pen? I need to write my parents"

"Of course, I'll bring it before I go to bed tonight. Anything else"

"No, thanks River."

"Anytime." I was almost out the door when he spoke again.

"Um… actually… can you ask Blaise, Crabbe or Goyle to bring me the bag of sweets from my room? And if you'd bring me the Daily Prophet in the morning, that would be awesome."

"Of course. I'll talk to one of them tonight, and I'll make sure you get the paper"

"Thank you so much, River. You have no idea what it means."

"Anytime. Bye Draco.

"Bye River" I had one foot out the door when I turned around one more time.

"Oh, and Draco?"

"Yes?"

"It's Trife in public still"

"And it's Malfoy in public still"

"Glad we're on the same page" I finished walking out the door and started rushing towards the Great Hall, contemplating all the way how I was going to manage to talk to any of Draco's little cronies.

I decided not to contemplate my discussion with the trio, Ginny and Terry just yet.


	6. Ch 5 Preparation

A/N Thank you so much to everyone who's following and favoriting! It means a lot, I normally only write stuff like this for my own enjoyment so I'm surprised anybody likes it at all.

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, Harry Potter isn't mine. River is, and the plot is, but nothing else.

I rushed to the Great Hall, hoping to find Crabbe and Goyle still pigging out there. Fortunately for me (and Draco), they were. I could feel all eyes on me as I made my way to the Slytherin table. The only people not watching were Crabbe and Goyle themselves. I saw Pansy Parkinson sitting next to Crabbe, looking disgusted at the amount of food that he was inhaling, then noticed the haughty profile of Blaise Zambini next to her. I liked him rather more than Crabbe and Goyle, he was more respectful and slightly less hostile towards me, he usually seemed more bored than angry, so I decided to talk to him.

"Zambini" All four looked up at me. Pansy's rude appraisal and disgusted sneer gave a serious blow to my confidence and I looked at the floor briefly.

"Yes Trife?" He asked snottily. God, he was even more arrogant than Malfoy. But maybe I only thought that because I had seen Malfoy weak.

"Malfoy's in the hospital wing… I was in there getting a broken finger mended and he asked me to ask one of you lot to bring him the back of sweets from his trunk. I trust you know how to get it."

"Drakey's in the hospital wing?" Pansy gasped and stood up. She rushed out of the great hall. Zambini raised one eyebrow curiously in her direction, then glanced back at me.

"It will be attended to. How did you break your finger?" I was shocked at his question.

"Quidditch practice. Bludger hit." I quickly lied.

"Hmmm… well, I can only hope the same misfortune befalls you in the match against Slytherin." I was rather struck by how rude his comment was, before seeing his lips twitch, almost as though he was about to smile and recognizing his own brand of sarcasm. It seemed as though he respected my coming to speak to them on Malfoy's behalf. I smiled in return before turning around towards the Ravenclaw common room.

I answered the question at portrait hole, then entered to find Luna curled up in a large chair reading a book.

"Hello Luna!"

"River… it's so nice to see you."

"You too. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm well, I just received a letter from Daddy telling me about a new breakthrough on his Diadem of Ravenclaw." She said in her wispy voice, grinning dreamily.

"That's excellent! What was it?"

"Powdered Crumple Horned Snorlack hoof, another element of the diadem reverses the effects so that the powder actually keeps the mind aware instead of making you sleepy."

"That's really brilliant, Luna" I said as I forced back a laugh. Both Luna and her father had truly exceptional minds, but they never applied them to anything reasonable. If they sought after normal goals, they would easily achieve them. But Luna didn't want that, and that was what I loved about her. If she was normal, she wouldn't be Loony Luna Lovegood, and I wouldn't like her nearly as much.  
"You seem distracted… did something happen?" I looked at Luna for a long moment. She turned her head to the side and fixed her alarmingly large eyes on me. I knew she wouldn't judge me. So I launched into the whole story, beginning with what had really happened on the train, and ending with my talk with Blaise Zambini.

"Draco Maloy? He's always been a bit cruel… but he certainly is handsome and clever. What he said about his parents seems accurate. His father was rather terrifying when I met him at the ministry last year… I couldn't see myself arguing much with him if he was my father. You're rather smart, River. I know you'll make the decision that's best for you in the end." Her total and complete honesty and confidence in me melted my heart. I stood up then leaned over to embrace her.

"Thank you so much for saying that, Luna. I'm so worried about what people will think."

"Oh, you mustn't be…those who matter won't mind and those who mind don't matter"

"Dr. Seuss," I mumbled.

"Yes, I thought I'd read that in some muggle book," She said, pulling her scraggly hair away from her face and turning her attention back to the book in her lap.

"Well, Luna, thank you. I must be getting back to Draco to deliver him some parchment and a quill."

"Do try to be on time for curfew." She said, distracted.

"Of course," I rushed up to my room and grabbed my eagle feather quill and a long roll of parchment. I hesitated before grabbing another roll. It would be better to give him too much than to give him too little. I trotted up to the hospital wing, hurrying because I was worried about missing curfew. I opened the door quietly in case anybody was sleeping in there. Draco was sitting up, his wand lit as he read a book. I smiled at the sight.

"You were in here having a broken finger mended?" He said, raising one eyebrow without ever lifting his head from the book.

"How'd you know it was me?"

"Who else would go to the hospital wing barefoot?" He looked up finally and shut his book. I looked down at my feet, surprised to find them completely bare. Had they been like this all day?

"But really, what was this about a broken finger?"

"Well, I had to tell him something!"

"And why'd you pick Blaise? He was the only one smart enough at that table to need an explanation."

"Pansy probably wanted one, though, huh?" I was annoyed by the interrogation I was facing.

"Ugh… did you have to tell her? She was an absolute nightmare. 'Oh, Drakey! That awful Potter boy! Oh, Drakey, are you okay? Can you get you anything, Drakey darling?' I had to feign sleep to get rid of her."

"She's an absolute bimbo," I said, chucking at his cruel but accurate imitation of Pansy.

"You're telling me." He rolled those lovely silver eyes. They used to look like cold, impersonal steel to me, but when he was happy they turned all shades of silver, glinting with tiny flecks of blue. A smile was on his face now, a real smile (though still with the hint of the trademark Malfoy sneer). And his expression softened as he looked at my face. I gave him a subtle grin in response before quickly standing.

"Right. Well, when you're done with that letter, just let me know. I'm going to read a little while you're writing it."

"Alright," he was still smiling as he turned his attention to the parchment. I pulled out my wand and lit it with a non verbal incantation of _lumos_.

"Did you just do that nonverbally?"

"Yes."

"I'm impressed, River."

"Don't tell me that little pureblood Draco can't do non verbals" I teased.

"Of course I can. But I know I'm one of few."

"And so am I"

"Should have known, insufferable, know it all mudblood." He said, but the insult had a teasing hilt to it and I knew he didn't mean it to be cruel.

"Yeah, you should have, especially because I'm ahead of you in the class, you cocky, son of a bitch, pureblood"

"Son of a pure blood bitch is more accurate."

"Your mom at least seems better than your dad."

"I was talking about my dad, actually. I love my mom, really. I love her for her weaknesses and in spite of her weaknesses. And she makes going home tolerable. And I can tell her anything."

"Could you tell her about me?" I asked him.

"Maybe. If I asked her to, she wouldn't tell me father… but anybody else who knows about us… whatever we are…. Is just a liability and possible danger."

"What if I didn't mind if you told her?"

"I would tell her."

"I don't mind."

"Then this letter will have the full story, and be addressed only to my mother. Can you put a spell on it so that she can wipe it clean?"

"Can't you do it? I thought you were supposed to be clever."

"I'm not allowed to perform complex magic until tomorrow afternoon."

"Is that when you're getting out of the hospital wing?"

"Yes. Will you be here?"

"Yes. I'll come over before Ancient Runes and we can walk over together"

"Okay. Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Yes. It puts a time limit on when I have to talk to my friends. Or else I'd never get it done."

"If you're sure," he turned back to his letter and began writing away with an amused smile on his face. I turned back to my book, a complex study on some Arithmacy equations. About twenty minutes later he handed me the rolled up parchment.

"I'm done," He said. I tapped it and muttered an incantation under my breath.

"There, now she can wipe it clean. Would you like to write another one to your father?" He frowned, the ripped a small piece of the parchment off.

"Father- I was attacked with Sectumsempra. I don't think my attacker knew what it would do. I'll be fine. Madame Pomfrey said there shouldn't even be any scarring. All the best, Draco." I looked at the brief note, feeling sad at his relationship with his father, before standing up.

"I'll see you tomorrow afternoon, Draco."

"Good night, River. Sleep well."

"You, too," I turned on my heel.

"River?" His voice called in the black silence.

"Yes Draco?"

"Thank you. For everything," I smiled to myself.

"You're welcome Draco," I continued out the door and rushed up to the owlery. I only had a few minutes before curfew. At least I didn't have patrolling duty tonight as part of my prefect responsibility.

"Adonis," I called, raising my right arm. My owl fluttered down and landed on my arm. He was a handsome owl, his feathers were creamy white and fiery red and his eyes were huge and yellow. I began tying Draco's letter onto his leg. Hedwig fluttered down as I worked and affectionately nibbled my ear. I stroked her feathers a few times before sending her off.

"Now, boy, take this to Malfoy Manor and do make sure that Narcissa Malfoy gets it. Rather tall, very blonde woman." I raised my arm higher and he flew through the window.

"Hedwig!" She flew back down to my extended arm. I tied Draco's letter to his father on to her extended leg.

"Take this to Malfoy Manor, just follow Adonis, but make sure that Lucius Malfoy gets it, tall, blonde man, long hair, carries a black walking stick," She hooted dolefully before flapping through the window after Adonis. I hoped Harry wouldn't mind that I used her. I would tell him tomorrow at breakfast. But right now, I really needed to get back to the common room. I was already missing curfew. I sprinted down the stairs and into Ravenclaw tower. Terry was sitting in the armchair that Luna had occupied earlier, and Padma Patil was across from him. They were studying antidotes for Potions class tomorrow, I settled into the blue armchair near them and set to work on some arithmacy equations. After I finished those, I had an Ancient Runes translation to finish up, then a transfiguration paper to write on the risks of non verbal human transfiguration. I was up long after Terry had gone to bed. He still wasn't really speaking to me, but he gave me a slight nod before heading up to the boy's dormitories and I felt a vague sense of relief. Padma went up a few minutes after him, bidding me a good night. I finally finished my paper at around midnight and rolled it up with an easy flick of my wand. I put the paper in my leather school bag then went up into the girl's dormitories.

In my dream that night, I was dancing on a muggle stage. The only person in the audience was a pale, blonde boy with silver eyes in the middle of the front row. He was carrying a huge bouquet of blue flowers, with one large orange rose in the center. He was leaning forward, watching me intently and he was smiling sincerely. But I wasn't dancing to music. I was dancing to Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Terry's voices saying _"Malfoy?... Prick?... Traitor… Slytherin… death eater…" _over and over again.

I woke with a start the next morning, knowing that this morning I'd have to talk to Ginny, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Terry and this afternoon I'd have to brave the masses about my friendship with Draco as I walked him to class after his stay in the hospital wing.


	7. Ch 6 Screw You, Too

Disclaimer: Blah, blah, I don't own Harry Potter (if I did, I'd be rich). Also, a lot of the stuff in this chapter about Terry/Michael is canon from Dumbledore's Army and The Year of Darkness by Thanfiction. I seriously suggest reading it.

A/N This chapter ended up way longer than I was expecting. Ah, well.

Ch. 6 Well, Screw You, Too

I ran a brush hurriedly through my soaking wet hair, deciding not to cast a drying charm and to just let it dry wavy, then tugged on the gray skirt. I buttoned up my white shirt, then buttoned my gray cardigan with the navy and bronze trim over it. I shoved my feat into a pair of black ankle boots with a low heel (I was rarely seen without heels, they made me nearly average height) and pulled on my Hogwarts robes with the Ravenclaw crest and the navy blue trim. I pinned on my prefect badge and grabbed my black patent leather messenger bag with my school books in it and slung it over my shoulder. I spared my dorm one last look as I rushed out, smiling affectionately at the many moving pictures that littered my walls. Finally, I rushed out of the common room. I had to talk to Ginny and Terry at breakfast this morning. I could talk to the trio during our one joint free period directly after breakfast, provided Harry and Ron didn't have quidditch practice.

I entered the Great Hall and walked swiftly to where Ginny was sitting at the Gryffindor table. I grabbed her arm.

"Hey, Riv, what's up?" she asked casually, tossing her red hair over her shoulder and smiling up at me.

"I've got to talk to you. Come over to the Ravenclaw table with me and Terry." Her brow wrinkled in concern.

"Okay. I'll catch up with you guys later," she said to some of her fellow Gryffindors. "What's going on, River?"

"I'll tell you once we find Terry. It's not a story I want to tell more times than I need to," I said, scanning the Ravenclaw table for Terry.

"There he is, come on," He was sitting next to Michael Corner, nodding along to whatever he was saying with an expectant grin. It seemed Michael had gotten to the punch line, because Terry threw his head back and laughed.

"Hey, Micheal," I smiled at the other Ravenclaw. Michael swept his long brown hair out of his eyes and smiled at me, glancing cautiously at his red headed ex girlfriend. Terry looked up at me, his eyes resting on Ginny for a brief moment. He looked resentful. He resented any girl Mike dated for the great fear that she would steal his beloved best friend from him. Mike and Terry glanced at each other, and I knew that they were using some well practiced legilimency. Their mental connection was so strong that they didn't need to cast some charm to see into each other's head anymore.

"Hey, River, how are you?"

"Excellent, thanks, and yourself?"

"Good, I'm guessing you want to borrow Terry?"

"If you don't mind,"

"Well, let's face it, even if I did mind, I think you'd still win him" He laughed. I giggled in response. Terry glanced at Mike and I got a vague flash of _not true_ when Terry really wanted something heard, I'd get it too, not as clearly as Mike did, but I heard it. Mike smiled in his slightly bemused way that said _whatever, Terry._

"Thanks, Michael, see you later,"

"Bye guys," He turned to Anthony Goldstein, who was sitting next to him as Terry stood up to join me. I knew he was still upset with me, but I really did need to tell him this. Ginny, Terry and I sat down at the end of the Ravenclaw table and I turned to them.

"What's going on, River? Are you okay?" Ginny asked in a rush.

"Yes, yes, I'm perfectly fine. You're not going to be pleased with me though," I looked at both of them slyly.

"Spill it, River, I don't have a ton of time," Terry said, swiping his sandy blonde hair out of his deep blue eyes. He had grown quite handsome at the middle of last year. He used to be a scrawny kid with thick, shaggy blonde hair, a jaw that was a little to square for the rest of his face, and chiseled cheekbones that stuck out too far from his cheeks, and blue eyes that were too big and too old for his childish face, but he'd grown into his square jaw, jutting cheek bones and large eyes. And he'd matured enough to match the age of his eyes. Most importantly, he'd chopped his hair off a little, and his long neck now fit the still shaggy length, and his body had started to harden in all the right ways, toned muscle, not pointy bone. It wouldn't be long before other Ravenclaw girls started to fancy him.

"Riv?" He smirked as I stared at him absentmindedly. "What were you thinking of?"

"Just remembering when you were a scrawny, awkward git of a kid," I smiled back at him.

"Back on topic, River, come on!" Ginny said, tossing her hair impatiently. I could always tell her emotions by the way in which she moved her hair. The short movements that she was using to push it out of her face now meant impatience. I smiled at my best friend.

"Well, see, it's kind of a long story… but you must forgive me…" and I launched into the story, beginning with the bathroom, though conveniently forgetting the bit about the soul mates and the kissing, then moving on to the hospital wing, quoting with a Ravenclaw's accuracy the things he had said about his parents, and finally, ending with the letter he wrote to his father.

I finished the story and looked expectantly up into Terry's eyes. I knew that in spite of everything he was to me, and everything I was to him, if I hurt him, if I betrayed him in this deepest of ways, he would run. He would run back to his best friend, Mike Corner, and he would hide from me and never allow himself to forgive me, his strength of will was that strong.

He stood in one fluid motion.

"Terry…"

"I'm sorry, River. I just don't understand,"

"Please, Terry, no…" But he had already turned in that proper way of his and begun to walk away. He turned back only once.

"Maybe one day, River, both of us will see a little clearer," He walked back to where Mike was already expectantly standing, their legilimency clearly meant he already knew the gist of what was going on, but the confusion in his dark eyes meant that he hadn't gotten much from Terry's mind. They exited the Great Hall together, exchanging significant glances as they silently communicated.

I turned desperately back to Ginny and looked at her wordlessly.

"Well, I'm not going to just walk away if that's what you're wondering. I'm not madly in love with you like he is,"

"But you're mad,"

"No… not mad, just… confused. I don't know if this is your greatest idea yet, River. There are just so many exterior motives that could be going on. I would proceed with caution,"

"Ginny, say something important, please,"

"You're my best friend, River, you always will be. I'm not exactly pleased, and don't expect me to hang out with you two or anything, don't even expect me to like him. But I can't just walk out, not after everything I've given to you in the past five years of my life. But… don't expect my brother, or my boyfriend, to be quite as understanding as I am. His family has treated my family like dirt for too many generations for Ron to get it through his thick skull that finally, this Malfoy might be different. And Harry, well, Harry has a stubborn streak longer than Hermione's. He's despised Draco for six years, and the Malfoys represent everything Harry has been fighting against since he was one year old, the only person to ever survive a killing curse. I think, though, I think he'll understand. It's not his fault he was raised by the Durselys, just like it's not Draco's fault he was raised by Narcissa and Lucius, with Bellatrix for an aunt. Harry's just stronger, and he tends to not feel contempt for those that are weaker than he so much as he pities them. I don't know, though, River. I thought you of all people would think this out, you are, after all, a Ravenclaw." But Ginny smiled kindly all me. And I saw that she, truly, forgave me. I squeezed her bicep lightly in thanks and smiled back.

_"You utter and complete moron, Terry Boot!" _Michael Corner's familiar voice echoed in the Great hall. So few people had ever actually heard him raise his voice that only his room mates didn't look up in shock at the sound of him yelling.

_"You walk away?! Just like that?! You go apologize RIGHT NOW Terry, or you will have quite a few people to talk to about hurting River," _Every eye in the room suddenly turned to me, and I flushed what I was sure was a magnificent scarlet.

We couldn't hear Terry's response to Michael's yelling, but it was apparently not the answer Michael wanted to hear.

_"No Terry, just no! You have been my best friend for six effing years, but your hot and cold behavior towards her is unreasonable, and you must give it up! We will continue this conversation after you apologize to River!" _The authority in Michael's tone was amazing. He'd always taken the back seat to Terry when it came to leading. Terry was smarter, harder working, though Michael was generally more likeable, more handsome and shown brighter than Terry did.

"Thanks Michael!" I yelled back. I heard his laughter first, then the rest of the students joined it.

"Anytime he's being thick River, just let me know!" Michael called back and Terry sheepishly entered the room, his steps shuffling, his head bowed, and his cheeks a shade of red that even the Weasleys would be impressed by. His entrance was met with cat calls and one lone whistle that I recognized as Flitwick's from the staff table. I turned to look at him and was surprised to see Dumbledore raise his glass at me, then wink one twinkling blue eye. Flitwick was chuckling quietly to himself, and I winked at him. His laugh grew deeper as Terry stood in front of me.

"Let's go, you great git. I don't think I've ever heard Corner yell like that, especially not at you," I grabbed Terry's elbow and guided him out of the Great Hall to many cat calls and whistling. I knew I heard Ron give a loud _whoop _and even thought I could make out Hermione saying "_Honestly Ron,"_ then Harry's familiar laugh, but I might have just been imagining that. As we stepped into the hallway, I saw Michael's familiar slim, toned, handsome frame outlined against the walls. He grinned and gave his head a slight upward jerk in acknowledgement as a cocky grin snaked its way across his lovely features. He really was one of the most handsome boys in Hogwarts.

"I'm sorry, River, I really am. I… overreacted." Terry started, and I could feel a long speech coming on.

"Don't worry about it," I grinned, flipping my wrist at him casually.

"But, River-"

"No, Terry, come one,"

"River, seriously, I need to explain. I need you to understand." He looked at me cautiously, as if to ensure I wasn't going to interrupt, before continuing with his speech. "You know I really care about you, Riv, more than I've got a right to. No, don't interrupt. You see, Michael's my best mate, the best mate I'll ever have, and I'm lucky, because I've seen brothers that aren't even as close as the two of us. We don't need to talk about things, seeing as we can read each other's minds as it is, but it's completely useless to even try to keep anything from him. You're different. When I tell you something it's because I need you to know, want you to know. It doesn't compare to Mike… but it's necessary to my survival to know I have that. And, River, you know I'm in love with you. That's not exactly news. And I know you don't feel the same. That's not exactly news either," There was that subtly cryptic sense of humor that I loved so. "And you've got to understand something. I'm logical, River, perhaps more logical than anyone in this school. It's all about my head for me. So when my heart gets involved, it's not without much careful thought and deliberation. I gave everything to Mike, absolutely everything, and when you came around, I somehow found more and gave you everything else. But it wasn't easy. I'm not a Gryffindor, filled with rash courage, so it doesn't come easily to do something dangerous like give away my heart. I'm not a Hufflepuff, so naturally loyal that it wouldn't even be a question. I'm not a Slytherin, who pretends to not even have a heart and only uses people. I'm a Ravenclaw, damnit. And I'm guarded like a Ravenclaw, calm, cool, logical like a Ravenclaw. And Michael Corner's my best friend, and a bloody handsome guy, and I've always known that someday you'd notice, and I've always been scared of that day, because I can not compare. But Draco Malfoy? Even beginning to compete with him physically is a joke. I'm a scrawny kid with shaggy hair and glasses. So, it was a threat. Malfoy was a threat I thought I'd never have to deal with where you were involved. Now, you come and tell me this and I freaked out. Not because I particularly hate him, he's certainly not pleasant, but from what you're saying it sounds like he's been through a lot, and not because I think you're betraying your friends, because I think you need to put yourself first more often, but because I'm jealous of every other boy in your life and I'm terrified he'll hurt you. Do you understand what I'm trying to say, River?" His lovely eyes were boring into mine with a fierce intensity I wasn't used to from my fellow Ravenclaw and dear friend. I threw my arms around his waist as a grand thank you.

"Thank you, Terry, really." He wrapped his arms protectively around my little body and pulled my closer. I inhaled deeply of the scent that was purely him, some fantastic mixture of fresh laundry, and the pages of new books, and faint hints of Mike's cologne, barely tinged with the scent of winter green that always colored his breath.

"Oh, River, if you only knew what it's costing me. But it would cost me so much more to walk away."

"Now, that, Terry, is the most logical thing you've said all night. Go talk to Mike, I can hear him pacing over there."

"Oh, he knows what's going on, and he's been throwing in some suggestions for what I should be saying. He's pacing because he's waiting for me to listen. Plus, that's just what Mike does." Terry grinned and swept his hair out of his face and pushed back his rectangular, black glasses in one familiar smooth motion. I'd been watching him do that since the very first time I met him on the Hogwarts express, and the motion was a comfort to me, a reminder that some things stayed the same.

"I know Mike tries to convince you of this all the time, but you really are beautiful, Terry, not like Mike is, not in a shallow pin up sort of way, but in a Byronic scholar kind of way. It's charming, and it's not going to be long before you've got Michael blocking you out of his head to hide the fact that he's crying about some girl taking you away." I squeezed his slender bicep affectionately.

"Nah, Mike wouldn't be that pathetic." Terry grinned affectionately, then put his hand over mine, brought mine to his lips and brushed his lips against it lightly. He then retreated down the corridor to where I could still hear Mike's relentless pacing. I took a deep breath, put a wide smile on my face and went back into the Great Hall to great applause and many raised eyebrows. I grinned shyly and ducked my head, allowing my still damp hair to fall in a curtain around my face. Clearly, Mike's raised voice had alerted everyone to the fact that something dramatic was going on. Ron, Hermione and Harry looked up and caught my eye. I nodded once at them and Harry and Hermione stood at the same time. It took Ron a moment later to understand what was going on, and he scampered after them. I turned smoothly and headed out of the Great Hall, hearing their footsteps sound behind me. As soon as I was in the corridor I turned to face them.

"What's up, Riv?" Harry asked as the three of them caught up.

"Gryffindor common room?"

"Yes, of course," Harry's voice was casual, but his dark brow was knitted in careful concern.

We stopped our brisk walk in front of the portrait of the fat lady so that Harry could whisper the password to her; we then marched into the nearly empty common room. We sat in their favorite chairs and I told them the same story I'd told Terry and Ginny. Harry's face grew more and more confused, looking dreadfully embarrassed when I got the part about him cursing Draco. Hermione looked more and more concerned. And Ron looked more and more angry. I finished the story and looked down at my hands, which were folded in my lap.

Ron stood up, his face an absolute mask of anger. Harry stood up and opened his mouth as if to stop Ron, but the tactless wonder would not be stopped.

"Screw you, River Olivia, you dirty traitor, you pure blood lover, gold digger, friend abandoning, traitor. Screw you." He turned and walked towards the stairs that led to the boys dormitories. My eyes flooded with tears and I wanted to sob and apologize and promise to make it all better. Then I remembered Luna's words and a terrible anger flamed up inside of me.

"SCREW YOU TOO RONALD WEASLEY" I stormed out of the common room. I had just exited the portrait hole when I felt a hand on my arm.

"River," I recognized Hermione's voice and stopped, but didn't turn around to look at her. "I'm sorry for his behavior. I think it's good that you're trying to help Draco. I would never be good enough to do that. I think that Draco needs you and you're being pretty bloody honorable. I'm proud to call you, friend of Draco Malfoy, my friend. And… I think… I think your sister would be proud, too." She looked at me with near pity at the last sentence. And, somehow, that last comment made it alright. Because my sister would have been proud, not just because I was doing something moral, but because I'd told off Ron. She'd be damn proud, that fierce Brooke Anne Trife.


	8. Ch 7 The Good Guys

Ch. 7- The Good Guys

A/N

Sorry this took so long to get it. It's been written for ages, but I'm not pleased with it, so I've been trying to make it better. I gave up.

I've been seriously messing up the timeline of Ginny's boyfriends in the sixth book. During this part, she is still dating Dean Thomas, I'll try to do better from now on. I know, I know, I failed at keeping track of them.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter. I only own River and the plot.

Terry Boot, Michael Corner and Anthony Goldstein were really the world's best Ravenclaws and incredible friends. As soon as I told Terry what had happened with Ron, his friends and him went into all out prank planning mode. They had spent all day in a corner of the common room. Occasionally loud exclamations were heard from them. I would hear Michael's booming, reassuring laughter, Tony's short, loud burst of chuckles and Terry's dry, scoffing laughter periodically. I was curled up in one of the large blue chairs in front of the fire, reading my book on Arithmacy and a smile was constantly playing at my lips.

"Terry?" I yelled over to the corner without lifting my nose out of the book.

"Yes, River?" He asked

"Yes, River?" Anthony and Michael gave a rather squeaky imitation of Terry's actually quite deep voice (though they got his accent to perfection) and I heard a soft thud as his fist made contact with one of their arms.

"What is our next class?"

"Ancient Runes." He called back.

"Ancient Runes," Anthony and Michael squeaked in response before dissolving into peals of laughter.

"How long until it starts?"

"Half an hour,"

"Half an-" They were both cut off by a very neat lip locking hex by Terry. I finally lifted my nose from my book and looked over at him, exchanging a quick grin at the way our friend were trying to talk around the hex. I stood and closed my book then walked over to him.

"I had better go… I've got to… um… pick up…" I was cautious to explicitly mention Draco in Terry's presence.

"I know, don't worry. Should I save you a seat with us?"

"I don't know… yeah, you better, but don't be surprised if I don't take it." He smiled softly. I put my hand on his shoulder and dipped to gently kiss his cheek. He turned his face and brushed his lips around my cheekbone. I ruffled Tony and Michael's hair and then left the common room, confident that they were returning to their plotting behind my back.

I entered the hospital wing to find it rather busier than usual. It seemed the entire Hufflepuff Quidditch team was in there, all with various injuries.

"The Slytherin team made a good show of hexing them," A smooth drawl commented from the bed next to where I was standing. I turned around to see Draco casually sprawled across the bed. His torso was bare and I got a little distracted by his well defined chest and casually chiseled abdomen. Then I saw the place where his perfect, pale skin had been marked by some spiteful spell. All that was left was a thin white line. The same went for his face.

"Snape's quick work saved me an awful lot of scarring and the permanent disfiguring of my face. That would have been a real shame," He ran his hand vainly across his jaw.

"Yes, you do need good looks to make up for your impossible personality," I teased playfully.

"Shut up, Trife. Have a sweet." He tossed me a chunk of Honeyduke's best chocolate and I bit into it gratefully.

"I'm not allowed to go until she's done dealing the Hufflepuffs. She wants to give me one final look over. You might as well make yourself comfortable." He motioned with one graceful hand to the chair on his right. I sat in it. It was amazing how he could control the situation despite the fact that he was the one laying in a hospital bed.

"You sent my letter to father to the wrong place," he said casually.

"I sent it to the Manor…"

"He's not at the manor. He's in Azkaban after the little stunt he pulled at the Ministry at the end of last year." Draco's voice took a cold edge to it, but his facial expression remained smooth.

"I thought that… well, I thought that Voldemort would get him out."

"He's being punished for his foolishness at the Ministry. He'll be out eventually. The point is, my mother forwarded the letter, but she used one of our owls and returned yours and Potter's to the school with her response and a satisfactory bag of sweets, which she insisted I share with you. I sent them to the owelry." He motioned to a bag of sweets on his night stand, which I assumed were the sweets his mother had sent him and I dug into it for a bit of toffee. I found a few chunks pretty quickly and started sucking on the sweet candy.

"I've got the world's biggest weakness for toffee."

"I'll be sure to remember to get you some for you birthday." He flippantly said. Everything with Draco was always so casual. Then a look of vague disturbance came across his face. "When is your birthday anyway?"

"Next Wednesday, in fact."

"And you're coming of age?"

"Yep. Finally,"

"I came of age about a month ago, best birthday ever. Even… well, even the Dark Lord wrote me a note. Mum and Father were so pleased about that."

"Were you pleased?"

"Scared shitless, rather. It's like eating something the Weasley twins gave you, if they had no consciences." He laughed bitterly.

Madame Pomfrey bustled over and smiled kindly at me.

"Hello Miss Trife, how are you?"

"Excellent, thanks, and yourself?"

"Oh, you know, hanging in there, I'm quite busy,"

"I see that. Want me to hex the Slytherins that gave you this mess?" I grinned slyly at Madame Pomfrey. She laughed.

"No, no dear, that's quite alright, that'd probably only give me more work in the end. Now, let's have a look at you, Mr. Malfoy," She ran her skilled hands over the scars on his chest and face, watching for any sign of discomfort. His expression remained emotionless. She ran her wand down his chest, mumbling incantations under her breath.

"Well, you seem good enough to go. Mind, you'll have to take it easy, no quidditch for at least a week. Oh, and Mr. Malfoy? No more dueling!" The kind women shook her finger at Draco. Her smiled at her.

"Yes, ma-am"

"You always say that, and yet I get you in here about once a month still,"

"Hey, I get provoked, what can I say?" He chuckled.

"Why do I doubt that?" She shook her head at the blonde boy.

"Maybe I just like seeing you," He grinned as he put a white undershirt on.

"You flatter me, boy, now scat!" She left laughing.

"You could charm the bees' knees of the bees," I said to him. He smirked at me.

"I think a better phrase is that I could charm the pants off anyone. It's a well taught Malfoy skill, passed down from father to son for generations." He buttoned his crisp uniform shirt over his t-shirt and began blindly tying up his tie before pulling a sweater vest over it. He stood up, to reveal that he was dressed only in pajama bottoms under the sheets.

"Hand me those slacks?" I handed him the black pants and he stepped out of the emerald green pajamas and into the neat black slacks. Even being mostly naked didn't take the smooth expression off his face. It seemed that the boy could pretend nothing bothered him.

"And the socks, next, please?" I passed him a pair of black socks. He sat at the foot of the bed and tugged them onto his feet before stepping into the leather loafers that were on the ground next to his bed.

"My robes?" I passed him the emerald green trimmed robes and his prefect badge. He shrugged into them, then pinned the badge right next to the Slytherin crest on his robes.  
"Merlin, I need a shower," He said, running his hand through his silver blonde hair.

"Here," I lifted my wand and waved it at his head, muttering _scourtifis _under my breath. The dirt and grease seemed to vanish from his hair. The rest of him seemed to have been pretty well cleaned by Madame Pomfrey when she dressed his wounds.

"What was that spell?"

"A modification on _scourgify _specifically for cleaning dirt and grease out of hair or skin. Terry created it."

"Terry Boot?"

"That's the one."

"Yeah, he's pretty clever, isn't he? If I remember right, the top of the class is as follows: A Miss River Trife, a Miss Hermione Granger, a Mister Terry Boot, and a Mister Draco Malfoy."

"That would be correct"

"Don't sound so proud, Trife. It's just because you and Terry are Ravenclaws that you're ahead of Granger and me, respectively."

"How do you figure?"

"Smarter kids to study with," I laughed.

"That probably is the reason I'm ahead of Hermione. I'm only about a half a percent ahead of her in Charms, Potions and DADA. That's hardly anything. And she's just a full percent ahead of Terry in Arithmacy and half a percent in Ancient Runes. He's a full percent ahead of her in Potions, leaving him only half a percent behind her overall. It's a source of constant annoyance for Terry and we hear the complaints a lot in the common room," Draco laughed at my accurate repetition of the scores.

"Only a Ravenclaw would know how close the top three scholars are." He teased as he stood and slipped the strap of his worn, gray leather messenger bag onto his shoulder and shoved the sweets and the letter from his mum into a pocket of the bag.

"To Ancient Runes, then?" He said, offering me the crook of his arm as he turned to go.

"To Ancient Runes," I said, slipping my hand into the crook of his arm. We exited the hospital wing to general mutters from the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. Draco grinned slyly as I scowled at them.

"Stay calm, River, it's not a big deal," He whispered, straightening his frame and looking down his nose at the Hufflepuffs. He graced them with the Malfoy sneer and the whole lot of them flushed and turned away. Ernie Macmillion's eyes stayed on me for a moment longer than the rest, and, in return, Draco's cold steel gaze stayed on Ernie for a moment longer. It was amazing to watch Draco's expression shift from cool impassiveness, to haughty frustration in mere seconds. Ernie's own brand of haughtiness didn't stand a chance against that of a Malfoy. After Ernie broke the gaze, Draco turned his head back to facing forward, a tiny smirk on his lips.

"Why can't I do that?" I asked, amazed at the affect a simple glare had.

"It hasn't been bred into your genes for generations. Nor have you watched your father give that same look to lesser people your whole life." Draco said, in a slightly stuck up way.

"You really are annoying, Malfoy,"

"Right back at you, Trife:"

"No, but really, you've given me that same exact smug smirk countless times, and you've given me that same exact steely glare with it, too, and it's annoying and it never failed to make me eventually whither and curse you. Seeing you give it to Ernie just reminded me exactly how much I despise your presence,"

"Here I thought we were getting along," He rolled his eyes.

"We are. That's what's so bizarre. That glare used to infuriate me, no matter who you were aiming it at, now, I find it down right amusing. What are you doing to me? Are you turning me into a Slytherin?"

"Hardly. If I'd thought there was any hope for you, I would have started years ago," he rolled his eyes again. I was beginning to find the eye roll quite as aggravating as I used to find his glare.

"The Sorting Hat was practically dying to put me in Slytherin, you know. But I'm muggleborn… there hasn't ever been one of my kind in your precious house," I practically spat.

"Are you resentful? Did you want to be a Slytherin?"

"No, Merlin, no, I just hate that my birth took an entire possible future away from me."

"I didn't know it was that way for you, too," He practically whispered, awe in his voice.

"What do you mean 'too?'"

"Well, my birth gives me a decided future. I had to be a Slytherin. I will become the next Mister Malfoy. I will inherit all that entitles. I will… well, let's face it, we're not fooling anyone anyway, I will marry a pureblood, probably a Greengrass or a Parkinson. I will make a lot of money. I will be respected. I will be very nearly feared. I will carry an ancient walking stick instead of just a wand. I will follow in my father's footsteps. I will have one son to follow in my footsteps. And, like every blonde haired Malfoy boy before me, I will do it well. I will not disappoint. It will not matter if I'm happy or not, I'll have to do it."

"I, on the other hand, will work my arse off, twice as hard as you will, for half the recognition. I will clamber and fight my way to the top. I will train hard. I will study hard. I will work hard. I will get married when I have time. I will start a family if I have time. I will blaze my own path. I will do my best to do it well. I have nobody to disappoint except myself."

He looked upset for a second.

"That's not fair at all, River. You're smarter than I am. You're more ambitious than I am. You deserve a future like mine more than I do. What if I gave you that future? What if I helped you, took you under my wing, brought you to the top one day?"

"You'd be murdered. Let's not kid ourselves, Draco. If Voldemort didn't get you, your father would, if neither of them did, Bellatrix would. You're the heir to the Malfoy fortune, and, even more impressively, the Malfoy name,"

"At the end of this, the Malfoy name won't require as much respect,"

"You'll fix that,"

"You sound so confident,"

"That's because I am, Draco."

"So, let me help you one day?" He grinned cockily in my direction.

"You ever been turned down before?"

"Never."

"I'm doing this on my own, Draco. First of all, I hate you just as much as I like you. Second of all, you really would be murdered. I'm not exaggerating,"

"No… you're right. I would be, swiftly and probably painlessly, but still murdered."

"I'm what, Draco?" I said, removing my hand from the crook of his arm.

"What?" His pale brow knitted in confusion.

"What did you say?"

"I said that you were right. That-"

"No, stop there, you said I was right. Say it again."

"You're right," He said with a laugh.

"Yes! Yes! He finally admits it!" I jumped into the air as he laughed louder at my antics. A wide grin spread across my face.

"We're going to be late if you don't stop that."

"Alright, let's go," I walked forward and wrapped my arm around his narrow waist. He draped his arm over my shoulder.

"But, seriously, River, there's something I need to say to you."

"Shoot."

"I'm not a good person. I've got a lot of mistakes on my shoulders, a lot of sins to my name. But I'm really trying to-" just then he was cut off by Ron running past us, his ears transfigured into the droopy ears of a dog and "Warning: lousy friend" burned into the back of his robes. I heard three familiar laughs, one booming, one short, one dry and I looked up to find my three Ravenclaw boys, my good guys, clutching each other as they laughed.

"You really are trying to become one of the good guys, I know Draco." I said as I caught Terry's eye and dissolved into peals of laughter.

"No, not one of the good guys, just one of your good guys," Draco smiled, his arm tightening around my shoulder as we walked together into the classroom, thoroughly ignoring raised eyebrows and confused mutters. I took my seat next to Terry, and Draco, much to my surprise, claimed the seat on my other side. A note drifted into my lap from his hand.

_I want to hear the story about why Boot, Corner and Goldstein hexed Weasel king _ I looked down at his surprisingly neat and feminine handwriting before quickly scrawling a note back.

_Let's just say it involved him accusing me of being a gold digger. As if my parents didn't make enough money to keep me in complete and total comfort for the rest of my life._

_Why didn't you tell me? I could hex the ginger into oblivion._

_Because, Draco, I'm really not that angry. He's entitled to be angry at me. I'm just waiting for him to apologize, which he will. He's loyal._

Terry slipped a note under my hand, shooting me an annoyed glance.

_River, I am not taking notes for you. Will you stop passing notes with the blonde boy wonder and try to focus on the lecture? _

I turned and stuck my tongue out at Terry and he stuck his out back at me. But, all the same, I focused my attention back to the front of the classroom, my hand scrawling letters across a blank page.


	9. Ch 8 Charmed, I'm sure

Ch. 8 Charmed, I'm Sure

I own River. I own the plot. The rest is JKR's.

One Week Later, River's Birthday

My first week of being friends with Draco Malfoy had been admittedly difficult. We fought, often. He slipped and called me mudblood, often. And, after Ron apologized, he slipped and called Ron and Ginny blood traitors, often. And I forgave him, over and over again. But he was stretching my patience to its absolute limit. He didn't get along with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Terry or Ginny, which was completely predictable. I wasn't asking them to get along. In fact, the only people I was even asking to tolerate Draco's presence were Ginny and Terry, and them only occasionally. Terry was having the roughest go of it and I hated hurting him. But I also knew that it would hurt him if I pulled away and cut him completely out of that part of my life. It was simply a matter of which would hurt more as well as being a matter of my own selfishness.

Today would honestly be the final test. It was my birthday. It was also my sister, the late Brooke Anne Trife's birthday. This was always one of the hardest days of the year for me. Every second there was another reminder that my twin was dead and I had to live the rest of my life without her, one half of something that had once been whole. I would already be at my wit's end and if he pushed me even a little bit too hard, I would completely fall to pieces and it would be the last straw. If I could deal with him on today, I could deal with him any day.

And the day was off to a genuinely fantastic start. I had awakened at my usual time to find a pretty, large pile of wrapped presents on my bedside table. The first was from my parents and had a short note attached to it

_River, the presents from the rest of the family are waiting for you at home. Have a very happy seventeenth birthday. We love you so much. Love, Mom and Dad._

It was an impersonal note, but a note that tried very hard not to be. Inside the package was a car key (I jumped up and squealed when the familiar silver objects fell into my hand. I had been working towards getting my license during all the holidays and had been begging for a car. When I went home, I would see it. Underneath the key was a new pair of pointe shoes, like my parents had gotten me every year for my birthday since I was about five. These were the nicest pair yet, and I smiled as I ran my hand over the stiff but soft fabric of the pale, pale blue shoes.

From Terry I had received a large book on the history of magical education in Europe (which I was actually very excited to get) and a new charm for my charm bracelet, just like he'd gotten me for the past six years. He'd gotten me a book charm, and a charm with a fox on it (my patronus) a charm with an eagle on it (for Ravenclaw), etc, etc. But this charm was a cool blue sapphire set in bronze.

_Every other charm has represented you. This one represents me. I love you. –TB_

I smiled. From Ginny, I received the usual charm as well. Hers was a bold ruby set in gold. Immediately, I began worrying about the price, but her note explained that the twins had pitched in to buy it. From the afore mentioned twins I received a huge bundle of the latest Weasley products, which my roommates exclaimed over as they turned them in their hands. Hermione had given me a book entitled _Athletes of Ravenclaw: How Bookworms Break Records _which was an account of many Ravenclaws who'd gone on to play professional Quidditch. From Ron, I received a new Keeper's helmet, from Harry, dragon hide keeper's gloves. From Mike, a broomstick servicing kit. Anthony got me a whole set of luxury quills, eagle feather, peacock feather, feathers from birds I'd never even heard of, but my favorite was the blue jay feather quill. Ginny's parents had sent a variety of cakes and a beautifully framed picture of Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and I. We were all in Quidditch robes, except Hermione, who was dressed in red and gold with a radiant smile on her face. Ginny's hair was a mess. Harry was clutching the snitch. There was a smear of mud across my cheek and Ron was looking shocked. We were all laughing, and, as I watched, Harry accidentally let go of the Snitch and I grabbed it, to much applause from Harry. I smiled as I ran my hand over the image, remembering the moment.

My room mates, Padma Patil, Su Li, and Mandy Brocklehurst (as well as Luna and my Quidditch captain, Cho Chang) had chipped in to buy me a new pair of dress robes. They were gorgeous, deep green, cut in a slightly masculine way around the shoulders, then draping very femininely down my body. I ran the buttery fabric through my hands, then warmly embraced them all in turn.

"Thank you guys so much. These are absolutely beautiful."

"You're welcome, River," Padma grinned as I embraced her. Then I went back into the curtained area around my bed to change into my uniform (gray skirt, black loafers, white button up shirt, blue and bronze tie, v-neck sweater, blue trimmed robes) just like I did every morning. I trotted down the stairs into the common room. Terry Boot was standing at the bottom of them, his hands buried in the pockets of his black slacks, his chin length blonde hair falling to just barely cover his bowed head. He looked up as he heard my footsteps , a large smile split his face and he opened his arms. I embraced him tightly.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, Terry. They're absolutely fanstastic."

"Let's see the bracelet, then," I held it up, all twelve charms from Terry and Ginny clanking together, as well as The B charm, the R charm and the music note that the bracelet had started out with. He grasped the newest charm between two fingers.

"It looks lovely," He smiled contentedly. "Did you like the book?"

"I loved it! I can't wait to read it." My fingers itched to open it right then and flip through it, but, first, I had to finish the arithmacy book I'd been reading. I didn't have too much left in it, anyway.

"We're going to be late, Terry," Mike came tearing down the stairs, dark hair wet, sweater in hand, tying his tie up as his went. He looked up and smiled at me.

"Happy Birthday, River," He hugged me.

"Thank you so much for the kit, Mike. I've needed one for a while now."

"You're welcome," He mumbled as he pulled the sweater on over his head, disheveling his hair. Terry smirked at his friend, who quickly reached up to smooth his hair into its usual neat part, then the two of them started walking towards the door, me standing between them as they chatted over my head. We stepped into the hallway to find a rather anxious looking blonde boy in green trimmed robes arguing with the door handle.

"At last, could one of you please go get- oh, River, it's you," He sighed in relief.

"We'll catch you later," Mike grabbed Terry by the bicep and turned to go.

"Happy Birthday," Draco grinned and held out a large package to me. It was wrapped in Slytherin colors, green paper, silver ribbon.

"Sorry about the colors, I don't keep any other wrapping paper or ribbon in my room." He grinned sheepishly, digging his hand into his pocket. I was surprised when it withdrew with a smaller present, this one wrapped in navy blue with silver ribbon.

"Blaise, however, did have a very small amount of navy paper tucked under his bed. It's his father's favorite color, or some other ridiculous excuse like that. Open the green one first, please." I immediately sat down, right on the floor in the middle of the corridor and set to opening the larger present. I lifted the top off the box and was surprised to see fabric inside. It was a fitted black jacket, deep cut, with romantic ruffles along the neck and the bottom. It was absolutely gorgeous, just barely verging on costume like. Underneath the jacket was an olive green cashmere turtle neck sweater.

"These are breathtaking, Draco." I ran my hands over the smooth fabric.

"The jacket is my mother's taste, and I thought that the color of the sweater would be lovely on you… mostly, she picked them out. She didn't think the present I chose on my own would be completely sufficient. She wanted to have the house elves bake you a cake, but I told her that Mrs. Weaselette would have that under control."

"Don't call her that," I gently reprimanded. He grinned cockily as he shoved the smaller present into my hand.

"This one was all me," I gently untied the narrower ribbon, then pulled the paper from the black velvet box. I smiled as I recognized it as a necklace box and opened the top.

I gasped. I hadn't been expecting anything half this grand. It was a white gold chain with six tiny emeralds, three on each side of a large sapphire. Each gem was set in white gold, and was cut in a perfect circle.

"Draco…"

"You're welcome," He said with a smirk as he lifted the necklace off the white satin it had been resting on.

"May I?" He asked, holding up the delicate chain.

"Yes," I said, twisting my hair out of the way. He smoothly clasped the necklace onto my neck and I released my hair.

"How does it look?" I asked, turning my head upwards.

"Lovely," He pretended to scrutinize it, though I had strong suspicions that his gaze was fixed a bit farther south than my neck.

"I'd better go put these in my dorm." I scooped up the presents and turned back to the knocker and rapped it against the door.

"What is broken every time it's spoken?" The smooth voice drifted out. I sat for a second.

"Hmmm… Silence."

"Very quick," The door swung open and I turned just once to see Draco, his mouth open in shock. I smirked back at him before rushing up to my dorm and depositing the boxes on my bed with my other presents. I swept back down the stairs and out the door to find Draco still there, leaning against the opposite wall, arms folded across his chest.

"Let's go, Malfoy, I'm way behind schedule." I rushed past him and he jogged a few paces to catch up.

"What's your first class?"

"History of Magic,"

"I can not believe you're taking that N.E.W.T. It's the world's most boring class."

"I like it!"

"Yes, Professor Binns droning on and on about how many people died in the Goblin revolutions is so stimulating. I can't believe more people don't like that class.

His casual use of the word "died" made the blood rush from my face. It reminded me too deeply of Brook. I grabbed the "B" charm on my bracelet and took a deep breath to calm down as we entered the Great Hall. We parted ways as I took a seat across from Terry and Mike and he turned to sit next to Blaise. Terry immediately glanced up at me and took in my pale skin. He smiled at me, then noticed the new piece of jewelry around my neck.

"Nice new accessory, Riv," He raised his eyebrows as he smirked.

"Isn't it gorgeous?"

"Who knew ferrets were capable of picking pretty jewelry?"

"Terry, please don't be like that, I'll take it off if it upsets you."

"It doesn't upset me. Blonde boy wonder over there upsets me." He jerked his head towards Draco's back.

"I know… honestly, he upsets me a lot of the time, too."

"Then why are you keeping up with this farce? You don't need him to be your charity case. It's going to be the death of you, I swear!" For the second time in ten minutes the blood rushed out of my face. I dropped the fork that I was using to spear sausages onto my plate and looked down at my hands. Terry swiftly realized his mistake.

"I'm sorry, River. I need to be more sensitive today,"

"It's fine," But it wasn't.

"No it's not," And he knew it. He grabbed my hand from across the table.

"I'll put up with it," He promised, motioning to my neck.

"And him?"

"And him, if it'll make you happy."

"It will."

"Then it's done. Though, I don't pretend to understand you." He let go of my hand and leaned back a little.

"I never asked you to understand me"

"Aye, just put up with you, and for that, I'm inexpressibly grateful. I don't think even I could wrap my mind around you, River,"

"I thought it was enough work just to put up with me." Just then, I saw a flash of crimson hair near the doorway. I turned swiftly and saw Ginny standing there, eyes sweeping the Gryffindor table. I clambered out of the bench and ran towards her.

"Ginny!" She turned.

"Happy Birthday!" She yelled as she hugged me tight to her. "Let's see it then!" She pointed to my wrist. I held it up and she smiled when she saw her charm next to Terry's on the bracelet.

"It looks lovely,"

"Thank you so much, Ginny. It's honestly perfect,"

"No," she giggled, pointing at my neck "That's honestly perfect."

All I offered in response was a wide grin and a hand touching the fragile silver.

"Blonde boy wonder picks out pretty jewelry," She smirked.

"Oh, not you, too."

"What?" She widened her eyes and cocked her head innocently.

"Terry's little pet name for Draco,"

"Blonde boy wonder? Well, you know what he calls Harry, right?"

"Scarred boy wonder," I supplied dismissively.  
"Aye, it's just a play off of that, Riv. It's fairly innocent,"

"Not the way he says it," I glowered darkly at the back of Terry's head.

"Give him a break, River," she sighed in exasperation.

"Can't either of you be on my bloody side?" I bellowed, turning on her.

"I am on your side, River. It just goes against a lot of natural extinct for me" She grinned crookedly, holding her hands up in mock surrender.

"Oh, sod off," I snarled. She looked shocked as the grin melted from her face. "Stop pretending like this is really hard on you and I need to sympathize and comfort you about how much it sucks that your best friend is getting close to your enemy. It's hard on me, Ginny." I lowered my voice to a hiss, but somehow, he always seemed to notice my distress. I saw a flash of white hair moving towards me and I looked up at him. Silver eyes caught hazel and I narrowed mine. He turned around and sat back down at the Slytherin table, just the action I was hoping to get him to perform by narrowing my eyes.

"Sorry," But there was a taint of bitterness in her voice. It struck me then that we had never truly argued before. But it served her damn right! Her and Terry both were always complaining about me being friends with Draco, without once considering how difficult it was for me. But… the truth was, it was not difficult. Draco was an obnoxious nuisance, yes. But it was good for me to have him. And I knew it. I just wanted someone else to see it my way.

"No, no, I'm sorry, Gin. I shouldn't have said those things. I guess I'm just… tired of it all. I know it's difficult for you. And, honestly, it's not half as hard on me as it should be." Ginny's fierce expression abruptly softened.

"You actually care about him, don't you?"

"Yes, damn it all, and Merlin help me, yes," I shook my head and my hand fluttered to my throat again, grasping the necklace gently.

"Eat," She commanded, grabbing my arm and pulling me down next to her at the Gryffindor table, the cool blue lining of my robes clashing with all the crimson around me. I eyed the plates laden with greasy sausages and canary yellow eggs with disgust, then spooned a great helping of fruit onto my plate, some tomatoes and a few fried eggs. I promptly cut the whites off the eggs and stuck the yolks back onto the plates.

"Have some toast," Ginny passed a patter to me.

"Whole wheat?" I warily grabbed a piece.

"What kind of best friend would I be if I offered The Girl Who Eats Healthy anything else?" She rolled her eyes. I confess, I'm obsessed with healthy eating. My body is a temple and all that. Besides, nobody performs at their best with disgusting, greasy foods churning in their stomach. I scooped egg whites onto the toast and took a bite, as Ginny chattered away in her pleasantly high pitched voice. In the few short minutes that I was shoveling food into my mouth (I never realized how hungry I was until I took that first bite) she managed to cover topics from Dean to Harry to Quidditch to the Weather to the next Hogsmeade trip, before at last settling on my birthday again.

"What are we doing to celebrate tonight?"

"We'll just hang out in the Ravenclaw common room. You and the trio will come over, right?"

"Of course… what about Blonde Boy Wonder?"

"I'm not sure about him. I think not. I just don't need that sort of drama and stress tonight,"

"Oi, speak of the devil," She said, nodding her head behind me, where I knew that Draco would be standing up from the Slytherin table that I had purposefully turned my back on.

"Don't mean that too literally, now, Ginny," I popped the last bite of toast of egg white into my mouth and washed it down with another swig of pumpkin juice before standing and turning in one fluid motion to face Draco.

Immediately, I knew something was off. His owl was perched on his shoulder. A letter was clutched in his hands. His knuckles were white. His lips were pursed. His brow was drown together.

"Hate to be a killjoy on your birthday, but I need to talk to you," He lifted the letter in acknowledgement and the bird nipped his ear sharply. He waved his arms at it.

"I said get out of here, you bloody beast," the rather large grey owl flitted off his shoulder for a few brief seconds before landing haughtily back on his shoulder. I thought it was very fitting to be a Malfoy owl, indignant, stubborn, and wouldn't take no for an answer. Draco glowered darkly at it.

"Don't scowl so, your face will get stuck like that," I playfully scolded as I walked away with him. His expression softened momentarily, but immediately darkened again when the bird took another nip at his ear.

"What the bloody hell do you want?" He bellowed.

"A reply, it just wants a reply, Draco, for Merlin's sake, just scribble off a note!" I thrust a bit of spare parchment into his hands as well as my old eagle feather quill. I watched his hand move quickly along the page.

"Here you go, beast," He tied the note to the bird and it flew off, clearly placated.

"Now, take three deep breaths and tell me what the hell happened."

"I got this letter from my mother about Bellatrix," He held up the piece of parchment clutched in his hand.

"Apparently, she's been making a right mess of things, Lestrange style. She's been absolutely awful to my mother. She's been calling her blood traitor and smacking her around, quite literally, she's been treating my mother like a common house elf in her our manor! Dearest Auntie spit in my mother's face! And my mother, my proud, regal mother, sat there and took it. She didn't even raise her wand against her tormenter! Dearest Auntie has been using my mother as practice for her spells. And, the most recent spell she tried to practice on her was the Killing curse!" Draco was pacing in his anger, his complete confusion, his pain at having his mother reduced to this "She shot an Avada Kedavra at my mother, who just barely managed to duck. She wished death upon her own sister! She tried to kill her own sister, the woman who should be her best friend, her confidant!" And, just like that, the blood rushed from my face. My hands started shaking. Bile burned my throat. I clapped my hand over my mouth and ran towards the nearest bathroom, hardly noticing that my shoulder bumped against Terry's on the way out, it was just too much for me to talk about the death of a sister.

Draco's POV

I didn't quite understand what had sent River running like that. But I was certainly too stunned to call after her.

Terry Boot, however, damn him, understood right away. Of course he did. He would always understand River better than I could ever hope to. There was something sort of eerie about that boy. His cold, calculating glance as he looked at him, the distance in his eyes, and finally, the tiny smirk on his face as he moved closer to me, It all gave me the chills.

"What do you want, Boot?"

"You don't know, do you?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't have asked."

"I mean about why she left," Now he was directly in front of me. I was a little put off by his attitude, the bloody Ravenclaw was getting too confident. Then I saw that his wand was grasped just a tiny bit too casually in his right hand. I smirked. At least he was smart enough to be aware.

"No." I resigned that much. "Will you tell me?" Surrendering to him, begging him for answers went against every natural instinct I had. I drew myself up to my full height to give myself some sort of advantage over him, but, double damn him, he was a good three inches taller than I. So I settled for folding my arms across my chest, setting my jaw and glaring at him oh-so-slightly. Everything about me was calculated, just like everything about his casual stance was.

"Play nice, Kitty," He raised his eyebrows at my slightly passive aggressive stance.

"Bloody hell, Boot! I don't like you. You don't like me. Just give me the damn answers, for her sake,"

"It's her twin,"

"She has a twin?"

"_Had_ a twin," He put too much emphasis on the past tense.

"Oh" And in the moment, my heart broke for her.

"Yeah,"

"When… when did she die?"

"River was eleven. It was a car accident. Her name was Brooke."

"Their parents named them River and Brooke?" I scoffed in disbelief.

"They weren't exactly expecting, nor wishing for twins, Malfoy." Boot lowered his eyes-shockingly blue, I'd never noticed- and bit his lip.

"But Brooke was everything to River, her other half, her friend, her sister, her sanity. And when she died… well, River was nothing. And it took a lot of unknowing work on my part to fix her." He glared, quite spectacularly for a Ravenclaw.

"I'm not going to bugger it all up, Boot. I wish to high heavens she'd told me though."

"You want to hear the list of everybody in our world that knows, Malfoy?" He didn't even wait for a response, insolent prat "The Weasley family, Harry, Hermione, Me, and Micheal Corner and now you, I guess."

"That's all?"

"That's all. So excuse her for not telling her former worst enemy sooner." His voice dripped with heavy sarcasm.

"Drop the bitterness and cut the bullshit." I flippantly said. "I'm sorry you care about her more than you should. I'm sorry she doesn't feel the same way. I really am. I can't even imagine. She's one fantastic girl."

"It's not your fault," He grumbled.

"Not hers either,"

"Aye, I know." He pushed his glasses up his nose and tucked his hair behind his ear in one motion, then looked at me, guilt in his eyes. "Look, I probably shouldn't have told you about Brooke, Malfoy. Don't say anything to her… just, watch your mouth. Any use of words such as "death" "die" "kill" "car" or "sister" are terrible ideas. Any use of those words together will send her running like she did just now." He turned to walk away.

"Thank for the tip,"

"No problem," His back was stiff as he walked away. Then he paused for a brief moment.

"Malfoy?"

"Yes?"

"She's probably at the Quidditch pitch, practicing with Mike or Ginny. It's how she blocks things out. I was going to head down myself to find her, but I've got… work…." He walked away without another word and I recognized the statement as an invitation to go and make it up to her. I intended to do just that.

River's POV

Sweat was dripping down Mike's perfectly carved face, his normally neat, dark hair was plastered to his forehead, fierce determination burned in his dark eyes as he launched the Quaffle at me again. I quickly examined the angle of his arm and body then darted down and to my right, just barely deflecting an extremely difficult throw with the tips of my fingers.

"Merlin, River. You are on today. We need you in this form all season."

"It feels good," I tilted my sweaty head back and let the light breeze send the stray pieces of hair around my face dancing.

"Oi, Angel, think fast," I quickly refocused just in time to see Mike releasing the Quaffle. I darted after it, and it slipped, three inches from my hands, into the left goal post.

"And it's Michael Corner for the win! The crowd goes wild!" He started to take a victory lap around the field, humming some sort of ridiculous victory song and I took off after him. I managed to catch up by cutting a few corners and grabbed the end of his broom, lurching him backwards.

"Oi!" He grabbed the broom with both hands and regained his balance. I laughed at the sight of Mike tottering on his broom.

"Care for one more?" A feminine voice came from the ground. I looked down to see Ginny, red hair pulled back in a braid, Gryffindor Quidditch things hugging her body, a mischievous smile on her face, her broomstick in hand.

"Always room for you," Mike laughed. Ginny mounted the broom and zoomed right on over to us.

"Two on one? That's not fair!" I laughed, retreating back to my goalposts.

"Shall we make it even then?" We all looked down to see green fabric and white skin and hair. Draco Malfoy was clutching his broom in his hand, grinning expectantly up at us.

"Come on up," he complied.

"Alright," I turned on Ginny and Mike, "Which of you is keeping?"

"I will," Mike turned to the other goal post.

A few minutes later, Terry joined us. He preferred to perch on the stands. Then the Golden Trio showed, Harry and Ron ready to play, and Hermione harping on us about skiving off classes.

"Oh, Hermione, I'm taking a personal health day, give it a rest!" She sat with a huff next to Terry and pulled out a textbook.

So, Mike, Draco and I teamed up against Harry, Ron and Ginny, and I honestly had a good time. I honestly almost forgot. I was honestly happy.

But it can't all be happy times. My birthday ended as it always does. After hanging out in the common room with my friends for a few hours, I eventually had to return to my own rooms. And, as soon as I sat down and stopped faking it, the pain was overwhelming. I couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't even cry it hurt so badly. Another year without Brooke. Another year where the pain didn't fade even a little bit. I'd always thought it was supposed to get easier, but it didn't, not for me. But, every single year, I had somehow managed to make it to the same place, Terry's room, his bed, laying there, silence, but not alone.

This year was different.

I stood up and walked out of my dorm into the perfectly empty common room, grabbed my robes, which I'd left draped over a chair, and shrugged them on. And then I walked out of the common room and down endless flights of stairs until I was standing in front of the Slytherin common room.

_Password _

"Pure blood… blood status… The Dark Lord…. Dark Mark…. Serpent…. Supremacy," On the last one the door swung open, and I, to numb to be surprised that I'd managed to stumble upon the password, slipped in. The common room was empty, as it should be at this hour of the morning, and I walked straight towards the stairs to the dormitories. I didn't know which direction to turn, so I just went up one. As soon as I opened the first door I smelt perfume and lotions, so I closed it silently and wandered the other direction. Behind these doors was the scent of sweat and grass, and the sound of snoring. This was the boys side for sure then.

It didn't take long to find Draco's dormitories. I opened two doors without seeing him before the third door took me into a dormitory where open trunks had fine fabrics draped on them. It was the presence of so much Quidditch gear that clued me in that I might be in the right place. One boy was sitting up in bed, wand illuminating his pale, pale hair and skin as he read. The sound of the door shutting started him and he looked up, thin wire reading glasses perched precariously on his nose.

"River?" He shut the book and took the glasses off, then set them both on his bedside table. "How did you get our password?"

"Guessed." I bit my lip, shifting my weight awkwardly from foot to foot.

"Merlin… well, come here, come here," I walked towards him. One foot then the other. I could make it just that far. And when I got to his bed I was free to collapse into his bare chest as he cast a silencing charm and charmed his curtains shut. I was free to shake with sobs, soaking his sheets and skin as he held me, clearly still a little shocked.

"I guess," heaving breath "I should," gasp. Sob. "Explain-"

"Boot told me. Hush," His hands moved in comforting circles on my back.

"He," another shakey breath. "what?"

"Will you just be quiet and cry, girl? You're making this far more exhausting on me than it needs to be." A watery laugh.

"Aye, that's better, knew I could make you laugh," I heard the smile in his voice.

"Git," I laughed again, crying at the same time, and smacked him lightly on his bare chest.

"Oi! I'm here trying to be comfort to you and you're being all abusive. This isn't fair!" I laughed again.

"Thank you," I sighed, curling up into his chest farther. He cradled me like a child, even rocked me lightly back and forth, murmuring comforting sounds. My heaving sobs slowed, reducing to tears that, though steadily flowing, were not overwhelming.

"That's better," He said, pressing his lips to the top of my head, and I was so far gone, and so hurt, and so bloody upset and it had been such a rollercoaster of a day that I tilted my chin upwards and caught his lips with mine.

It was the bathroom kiss all over again. It was _I need you, I want you, my love, my soul, my sanity, myself. _It was _you are everything right now. _It was _hold me tighter, kiss me harder. _It was _you, me, nobody, nothing else. _It was _bloody hell that's incredible. _It was _don't stop, not yet. _It was _need me like I need you, want me like I want you, and, for the love of Merlin, kiss me like I'm kissing you. _

And, oh, Godric, his _hands. _They were my entire world. And, just like that, I shut off my mind and just _felt. _And it felt good.


	10. Ch 9 Arguing, Always Arguing

DISCLAIMER: The world of Harry Potter and all related names, titles, ideas, etc. are the property of JK Rowling and Warner Bros. I make no profit off of this.

The quote "Shame is a product of education" comes from the musical Spring Awakening,

The light that woke me the next morning had a peculiar greenish tinge to it. That was my first hint that something was a little bit off. Ordinarily, the light in the morning was tinted oh-so-slightly baby blue by the curtains that it filtered through. The next hint I received was my bare legs. Ordinarily, I slept in sweats. But it seemed that this morning I was clad only in a long green satin button up. It also seemed that my bare legs were tangled up in something. The third hint came in the form of what was under my cheek. It wasn't my own satin sheets, or smooth cotton pillowcase. It was smooth, slightly moist and sticky. It was someone else's skin. My final hint came when I opened my eyes to see a blonde haired, pale Slytherin in bed next to me. Ordinarily, I woke up alone. It took me a second to process why I was in the Slytherin boy's dorms, and why I was not alone in them. When I finally comprehended my situation, I was more than a little upset.

"Draco" I hissed, shoving him. He groaned and turned over, burying his face in his arms.

"Malfoy," I practically snarled. He lifted himself slowly with his arms and tilted his chin up, his eyes still closed. They slowly flickered open and a groggy "Wha-" came out of his mouth. I stared at him in utter disbelief as he stretched out the morning tightness and ran his hands over his tousled hair.

Then, his silver eyes flickered open again and settled on me. First, a smile softened his face, then an annoyed sigh came from him and he flopped back onto the mattress.

"We need to talk, don't we?" He sat up again, rubbing his hand over his hair, which was sticking up in a way reminiscent of a certain black-haired, Chosen One, Boy Who Lived, mortal enemy of Draco.

"I should say so," I shrilly answered back, sitting up and facing him.

"Fine, you start," He cockily crossed his arms over his chest.

"I was under a lot of emotional stress. I needed someone."

"That's not true. If you just needed someone, you would have gone to Boot or Weaselette."

"Would it kill you to call them Terry and Ginny?" He ignored this.

"The point is, you needed me. Boot was there, just like he always is. Weaselette- no, I will not call her Ginny and I will not call Weasel king Ron so give it up- was there as well, just like she always is but you came to me. I didn't ask you to and I didn't ask you to kiss me, or strip, or any of that. It was you, River, take some responsibility for once. You don't get to shrug this off into you "mistakes I made while upset" pile and wash your hands of it. That is what it means to be a grown up, to make your own decisions and claim them as your own. So, admit it, you needed me.'

"I admit it! I needed you, not Terry, not Ginny."

"And you didn't want to stop."

"I didn't. But I also didn't come here for that."

"I know you didn't"

"You know what else I'll admit? And I don't care if it makes me feel like a whore. It's the truth. I, River Trife, stripped for Draco Malfoy. I, River Trife, spread my legs for Draco Malfoy. And I, River Trife, enjoyed it."

"I did too. So why can't we just date, River?"

"I didn't say I wanted to date you. I said I liked shagging you."

"So, we're, what, friend's with benefits?" He sneered at that idea, skeptically raising an eyebrow.

"You're going to try to tell me that Draco Malfoy is morally opposed to friends with benefits?" I matched his skeptic sneer exactly.

"No, but I thought you would be."

"I guess I am," I surrendered.

"So, where does that leave us?"

"I did what I swore I wouldn't do."

'What's that?"

"Fall for you, head over heels. I can't believe it."

"We could work, River. Just give it a shot."

"Yeah, we'd work as the most dysfunctional couple to ever grace the halls of Hogwarts." I scoffed.

"Aye and we'd give Weaselette and Corner, not to mention Chang and Corner, a run for their money for best looking couple."

"We'd fight like crazy."

"We already fight like crazy. Might as well do it as girlfriend and boyfriend." He flipped his wrist, as though waving off my feeble excuse.

"I won't want people to know."

"Okay."

"Terry will hate you, maybe me too."

"Boot's too crazy about you to hate you. And he already hates me."

"What if it gets to your lot?"

"Let me handle that."

"There's too much in the way."

"You're putting too much in the way."

"Just stop it, Draco, my head hurts."

"No. You don't get to just get out of this like a child with some trivial complaint. Give me one good reason why not."

"Because I don't want to want you. I'm ashamed of it."

"Shame is a product of education."

"Pretty words, Draco, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"If you hadn't been taught to hate me, you wouldn't be ashamed of wanting me."

"But-" he gave an exasperated sigh and cut off my next argument with his lips. I pushed against them subconsciously, hungering for more of him. He moved his hands to my face and I clutched his hair. A few moments later, I felt him smile into the kiss and I parted.

"You were saying?" He raised his neat blonde eyebrow.

"That I give up. I'm out of lame excuses."

"Fantastic!" He grinned and grabbed my hands. "Will you be my girlfriend?"

I sighed deeply, the surrender half killing me.

"Yes."

"Good," He smiled, wrapping his arms around me and burying his face in my hair.

"We have class, Draco." I reminded him, prodding his rib cage with one finger.

"Fuck," He drew away from me.

"How are we supposed to get you out of here without being seen? Can you do a disillusionment charm?"

"No, that's N.E.W.T. year level,"

"As if you've never worked ahead before,"

"Flitwick hasn't taught me that one yet. It's far too advanced."

"How about an invisibility cloak? Do you have one of those?"

"Yeah, totally, my muggle family just happened to have one sitting around." He fought off a smile at the blatant sarcasm in my tone.

"Father won't give me ours until I've graduated. He said it's far too valuable for kid's games."

"Give me those green robes and a green tie and sweater. It's the only way." He tossed me the clothing and I walked over to the mirror above his bedside table and started transfiguring my face. I shortened my nose and made it turn up, thickened and darkened my eyebrows and darkened my eyes, then turned to face him.

"Do I look sufficiently like Pansy Parkinson to not have any questions raised if I keep my head down?"

"As long as she's not in the common room."

"That's a risk I'll have to take," I said, quickly changing into a Slytherin uniform and shrinking my own blue and bronze trimmed clothing until it was small enough to carry in my pocket. I tied my hair into a loose bun so that it looked short like Pansy's if nobody looked too hard.

"This is insane." Draco muttered, fumbling as he tried to button his shirt with quick, frustrated movements.

"I'm not, and I repeat, not, having people talking about me like I'm some common slut because they saw me leaving the dormitories with you."

"Fine." He snapped. I glared silently at his back as he slipped the robes over his body. He turned around to face me, his eyes dark and stormy with his frustration.

"What, Draco? What's wrong? What did I do this time?" I yelled, finally breaking.

"You care far too much for what other people think! And I hate, I absolutely hate that you're ashamed of me."

"Of course I care what other people think, Draco! Imagine what it would be like for me if people found out, imagines the comments and snide remarks and criticisms and gossip I'd have to suffer."

"Do you know what it would be like for me? A thousand times worse, River!"

"Oh, sorry, I forgot that it's always about you!"

"No, it's always about you. Your reputation! Your shame! Your petty, childish concerns! If people find out about us, I will undoubtedly lose my parents. I will lose my fortune. I will lose my friends. I will lose the loyalty of my housemates and my position of honor amongst Slytherin. I will lose everything, and not just in school, in life too. You could rise from the ashes of your teenage years defeat. I couldn't."

I bowed my head and took a few deep breaths.

"I'm sorry, Draco. Sometimes I forget that people have problems that are bigger than mine."

"It's alright." He gently squeezed my arm and smiled at me to show that he meant it "We need to get out of here though or we're going to be late to Potions." He said, putting his arm around me and walking out of the dorms. I ducked my head as we stepped into the common room.

"Okay" Draco mumbled into my ear "It looks like most of Slytherin is at Breakfast…. There's a group of third years, and a few fifth years, but they're hardly paying attention. They see black hair and just assume it's Pansy. We're almost to the portrait hole… three more steps." I heard the door opening and we stepped through.

"Did anybody really look?"

"The fifth years, but they were up really late studying for O.W.L.S. so they looked a little glazed over."

"Lucky us," I sighed, tapping my wand against my face and restoring my normal features. I took my hair out and pulled the Ravenclaw uniform out of my pocket, then restored it to its normal size. I whipped the green trimmed robes off my shoulders and tossed them at Draco. He shrugged into them, then he took the tie I handed him and knotted it around his throat. Lastly, I tossed him his own v-neck Slytherin sweater and slipped into my uniform.

His eyes trailed over my figure and he smiled. I grinned cockily back and turned to saunter away, with a little more bounce to my step and sway to my hips than usual. I heard him chuckle, then his quick footsteps. He came up behind me and placed his hands at my hips.

"You're going to be the death of me, Trife." He whispered, his lips barely brushing my earlobe. I shivered. He laughed.

"What?" I demanded.

"Sensitive spot?" Again his lips brushed the skin of my earlobe, but this time he closed his mouth over it, gently nibbling and licking the soft skin. I rolled my head back into his chest and reached my arms up to encircle his neck behind me. His arms tightened around my waist and his mouth drifted down my neck until his forehead was resting on my shoulder. I turned my head and kissed his temple. He lifted his head and pushed gently against my hips. I moved away from him. He adjusted himself so that he was on my side and took my hand in his as we walked, to a hurried breakfast, then to class.

All the while, the small, dark, disapproving eyes of Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe never left us.


	11. Ch 10 Blood Traitor

Ch. 10- Blood Traitor

I knew something was wrong when I entered the common room that night. I'd just had the happiest day of my entire life, holding River's delicate little hand in mine, kissing her sweet lips between classes, touching her petite waist, toned legs, smooth arms, brushing my lips against her forehead, making her laugh, looking into her eyes. I did not know that just these small moments with her would mean the entire world to me. I would not have ever guessed that this girl, with her long, dark hair, flashing eyes, stubbornness, selfishness, and the little bump in her pert nose, could ever mean this much to me, because she was so strong willed and quick tempered and self centered. But she was so beautiful and loving and spunky and funny and sweet and optimistic and forgiving.

However, it was quite obvious upon entering the common room that none of my housemates felt this way. My mouth still tasted of her peculiar peaches and chocolate and ginger taste that was all her and a blissful smile turned my lips upward when I realized how tense the air felt in the common room.

Crabbe and Goyle were sitting on the couch with Pansy, Millicent and Theo Nott facing them across a coffee table. Pansy looked tearful, Theo, Crabbe and Goyle looked angry and Millicent looked properly detached.

Blaise Zabini was trying to make himself scarce on one of the green chairs in front of the fire, but Crabbe and Goyle kept calling things out to him. He ignored them as best as he could.

As I walked into the room, I tossed my long robes onto the chair Blaise was sitting on and loosened my tie around my throat with the casual air of one returning home. I flopped down in the other green arm chair next to Blaise and dropped my bag to the floor.

"Malfoy," the dark Italian looked up, a warning in his eyes.

"Zabini," I nodded at my best friend, a smirk playing around my lips.

"I would ask how your day was, but I already know it was good with Miss Blue and Bronze on your arm." His smirk matched mine.

"Miss Blue and Bronze? You couldn't get more creative than that, Blaise, you're simply a genius," I was being overly sarcastic, something I only did when I was nervous.

"Well, that's what they call her," He jerked his head towards Crabbe and Goyle, which called me to their full attention for the first time.

Pansy looked coolly at me from the corner of her dark, bloodshot eyes.

"I hope for your sake that you're only using the Mudblood whore for sex, Drakey," She calmly snubbed me.

"No, Pansy darling, that's what I keep you around for," I snubbed right back. Blaise bit his bottom lip to avoid sniggering.

Theo Nott whirled around angrily.

"Don't tell me that Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, who are both members of The Dark Lord's private circle, actually has feelings for a mudblood."

"Don't call her that, Nott," I rose out of the chair.

"Blood traitor," Goyle spat at me as he stood.

"You'll be shagging Granger next!" Crabbe stood next to his friend.

Blaise quickly scampered to his feet behind me.

"Go take a shower, nobody wants left over from the mudblood staining the Slytherin common room," Pansy sneered as she stood next to the thugs.

"Oh, sod off, Pans, you're just jealous," Blaise snarled next to me.

"Jealous? Of the little tease? Bet she'll never let you into her pants, Draco. Might as well give up on her now. She already strings along every straight Ravenclaw boy in our year, plus a few above us, she just wants to add you to the waiting list!"

I smirked cruelly at Pansy.

"Shows how much you know, Parkinson," She grimaced at the use of her surname. I had never called her that in my life. I'd known her too long.

"You fucked the mudblood?" Nott's face twisted in disgust. Fuck. I shouldn't have said that. Now that the Slytherins knew it was all down hill from here.

"That's dirty, Draco," Crabbe's face twisted up.

"It's not dirty! Merlin, she's a witch! And she's hot!" Blaise jutted his angular chin out at my side

Goyle lifted his hand and brought it down, hard, against Blaise's face. I cringed involuntarily. This wasn't a rare sight in the Slytherin common room. Tempers ran high and fights often broke out, in fact, Blaise and Goyle had fought before. But now, it seemed somehow worse. It always seemed wrong in some way to see Blaise get injured. He was so damn proud. I whipped my wand out of my pocket and stuck it at the juncture of Goyle's chin and neck.

"Apologize," I snarled.

"Make me," He hissed back.

"Oh, Gregory, when will you ever learn that you really don't want me to make you do anything?" His eyes widened in fear, then narrowed as he smirked.

I lifted my wand and opened my mouth to hex him.

_"Crucio," _

Pain. Pain like I'd never felt before. I was burning from the inside. Something was trying to claw its way out of me. My skin was peeling back from my bones. Tiny needles were pushing into me. Every inch of my body was being punched.

Oh, Merlin, Pain.

It was the bitter elixir of life. There was no breathing, no beating heart, and no step forward without pain. But how I loathed it.

I thought it would never end.

But then it did. And it was the greatest relief I'd ever felt. I lay for one second on the ground, where I'd been writhing, then bounded to my feet. I'd banged my body up pretty badly thrashing around, but nothing worse than a few bruises and a split lip.

But I burned with hatred. Oddly, it wasn't directed at Nott, whose wand was shaking in his hand as he gazed at the spectacle his curse had made of me. It was directed at my Aunt. Dear old Auntie Bella, for doing this to my mother.

I was dying to take sweet revenge against her, but she wasn't around, Theo was.

"Theodore," I whipped around to face him.

"That will be quite enough Mister Malfoy," A smooth, silken drawl came from behind me.

My godfather. Severus Snape.

"Mister Zabini and Mister Malfoy, you will come with me. Mister Goyle, Mister Crabbe, Mister Nott and Miss Parkinson, you will each return to your dormitories until I return. You will sit there silently and think about the punishments I will give you. The operative word there is _silently_"

"Yes, sir." The four of them chimed in unison, hanging their heads in shame. Snape practically glided out of the room, robes billowing behind him, without even a second glance to ensure that Blaise and I were following.

We dropped a few steps behind Snape.

"I didn't think you'd get my back on that one," I hissed to him, so quietly even Snape couldn't hear it.

"Of course I did, you bloody fool. You're my best friend," He hissed back, angling his sharp chin slightly upward with his usual regal, stuck up air. Perhaps this was the reason we got along so well. At heart, we were the same pompous, selfish, rich, sophisticated teens.

"I thought you were of the popular opinion in relation to mud bloods,"

"You told them not to call her that and now you're using the term yourself?"

"It's just her, Blaise."

"Well, I guess I thought you were of their opinion as well, Draco."

"I am. Or maybe I'm not. Bloody hell, I don't know. All I know is that she's different, but in general, pure bloods are still the best, the most worthy."

"Well, it doesn't really matter to me, pure blood, half blood, muggle born, it's all what you make of it. There've been plenty of pure bloods who've done crap for themselves and plenty of muggle borns who've worked their bums off and had it pay off."

"But your family-"

"Know which side to be on. We like the power, not the ideals, Draco. And we know which side the chances are on, and that's the Dark Lord's, with or without Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore."

_Hopefully soon without the second of that pair _I cringed to myself. Salzaar, but I was scared.

_And now is not the time to be thinking of that _I reminded myself as I felt the peculiar sensation of somebody trying to reach into my mind. I immediately blocked. Snape shot a look over his shoulder at me, suspicion and surprise in his dark eyes.

Snape flicked his wand, throwing open the door to the potions class room, then flicked it again to close the door behind us.

"I don't want to know what this petty nonsense fight was about, Mr. Malfoy," He glared at me as I opened my mouth to explain the situation.

"Then what do you want, Professor?" Blaise asked with that cocky tone in his voice.

"I want you to know that ordinarily I would have to notify your parents of the duel but under the given circumstances I've decided to not let this information out at all. All parties involved will be punished, separately and by myself. Your fathers will not have to know. And neither will Mr. Crabbe or Mr. Goyle's parents." He was saving me. My jaw fell open in surprise.

"They'll tell their parents, Professor," Blaise chipped in.

"No, they won't Mr. Zabini. I'll be sure of that."

"Close your mouth, Draco," Blaise mumbled to me. I snapped my jaw shut and extended my right hand towards Professor Snape. He took my hand lightly in his own and shook it.

"It's been a pleasure, sir. I'll see you in class." I dropped his hand and turned to walk out the door.

"Thank you, Professor. I'll be seeing you," Blaise quickly followed behind me.

"That was perhaps the luckiest moments of our young lives," Blaise hissed at my side.

"You're telling me. Fuck, I'm shaking." My hands were shaking. I stuck them in the pockets of my black robes in hopes that hey would stop.

"Do you realize what could have happened to us? Defending a muggle born? Fighting with our own side? Your father would have,"

"Stop, Blaise. I don't even want to begin to think what my father would have done," I shuddered once. We were already in deep enough shit with the Dark Lord. Recently, Father had been flying off the handle at anything that put us at any risk of falling more out of favor, like my failures with the cursed necklace and the poisoned mead. He'd been so furious, but also so terrified. I hated seeing Father like that. His gray eyes, so like mine, darting wildly around as he insisted over and over again that I use my occlumency to hide these failures. Nobody in the inner circle could know. But Snape did know. He also knew that people suspected me (and by people I mean Scarhead, Weasel King, and buck toothed, bushy haired Mudblood). And Snape hadn't said anything then either. In fact, he'd been protecting me pretty thoroughly. Under whose orders, though? The Dark Lords? Or Albus Dumbledore's? Or was it that bloody unbreakable vow? I hated not knowing what side he was on. Keeping secrets from his Lord? Well, that was telling. Perhaps he was Dumbledore's man. But the Dark Lord trusted him so completely and he was such a talented Legilimens that he would have found out. However, Snape was a fantastically talented Occlumens.

What a tangled web we weave. My head hurt from trying to unravel my Godfather's loyalties.

"But why did he protect us?" Blaise wondered.

"Your guess is as good as mine," That wasn't completely true, I was a bit better informed than Blaise. I suddenly noticed that we were heading back to the common room, which was not actually where I wanted to be right now. I wanted to be in the Room of Requirement, trying to fix that cabinet. But, I needed Crabbe and Goyle's clueless protection to do that. I wondered briefly if Blaise would protect me. I didn't have the energy right now to convince them to worship me again and get the story to River.

"Hey, Blaise, would you do me a favor?" The words were out before I could stop them.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Well, do you remember that room we found Dumbledore's Army in last year?'

"Yeah,"

"I've got something I need to do in there. And I need someone outside to warn me if someone's coming so I don't walk out at an inopportune time. Usually Crabbe and Goyle do it, but given the circumstances…"

"Sure, Draco,"

"You'll need to transfigure yourself," He shrugged his slender shoulders and pointed his wand at his facial features, lightening his skin until it was a nice, warm, tanned color and lightening his hair until it was blonde. He still had the exact same features, but no one would recognize him without the dark skin and close cropped dark hair.

We walked over to the Room and I set to work on the cabinet, thinking the whole time of how I would fix this mess, get Crabbe and Goyle back on my flanks, and still keep River.

I stuffed an apple in the Vanishing Cabinet, heard the familiar sound that meant it was going to Bourgin and Burkes, mumbled an incantation under my breath and heard the sound again. I opened the cabinet. And there the apple sat, in perfect condition. I cut into it and found that the flash was crisp, and the juice sweet. At last, it had come back with no bruises, no pieces missing, no brown spots. At last.

I took a bite of the fruit.

Success was so close, I could taste it. If an apple could make it, it was only a matter of time before something living and breathing could too.

I resolved to resume work again tomorrow, covered the cabinet with a sheet again and strode confidently out of the room. Next stop, Ravenclaw tower to speak to River about a plan.


End file.
